I Love Japan!

This sign is for the non-burnable garbage at Starbucks. It reads: Noncomburnable Garbage. It's the same all over Japan at every SB.

Self Portrait

I look great when I can choose the camera angle!

Starbucks is SO Back!!

SB @ The Hoop is finally back and looking good!

My Students, Part 2

My high school is fairly typical of all Japanese high schools. There are three grades, because middle school has three grades (not two), and each grade has a set number of classes. We have 8 classes in each grade, called "kumi" 組 in Japanese. Each kumi usually has 40 students. However, this year I have several classes that include 41 students. So I teach about 325 kids this year, split over two weeks.

My classes have 20 students each. They are split in the middle, leading to an A group and a B group. In Japanese they are called "zenhan" 前半 and "kohan" 後半. Respectively these mean "forward half" and "latter half". My latter halves sometimes have 21 instead of 20, but that is still pretty rare. When my kids come to class I have them sit down in sequence, and it gives a pretty good seating pattern and keeps the noisy ones away from each other. It also releases them from having to show a preference or take action on their own, which my kids seem not to like. The group mentality does sometimes show itself even in small matters.

Each kumi has a homeroom teachers. These are the teachers that they meet with every morning, every afternoon, for every non-specific lesson, and a myriad of other times I cannot hope to tell about. The kumi is the crew and the Home Room teacher is the pilot. The Captain is the will of the group. The home room teacher's personality often has an effect on the personality of the class as a whole. The Japanese learn by example and the kids follow what is set for them at the beginning of each year. The home room teacher is so influential because in this society they act as more than just a teacher, they are guide and guardian and sometimes surrogate parents to the kids. It is interesting to look at Japanese relationships and I will get to them some other time.

Since I see the kids as half classes they interact with me a little differently than they would if I saw them as 40. I have nametags made for all of them (well, they make them on the fist day) and because I can call each of them by a name we have a more personal relationship. Since I have 325 it is not that personal with most, but it is good enough for me to get a feel for them during the time we have together. The A and B halves will sometimes have differing personalities. Sometimes the stronger people are in one half leaving the other with only the quieter students. Because of this I have a hard time answering when my teachers ask what I think of such-and-such kumi.

In all I like my kids. This year they seem more into English than they did last year. High school is still new to them so they aren't as apathetic as they get towards the end of the year. I have some new things in mind this year and I am minding my lessons from the past. I hope to make my last full year with my kids the best one yet.

My Students, Part 1

My students are too complicated a subject to talk about in only one sitting. I think it is that way with everyone who teaches. When you are responsible for someone's education, or at least what they learn for a year, you realize how important interpersonal relationships actually are. Things like student-teacher interaction, motivational techniques, and classroom size cease to be buzz words from an overly politicized society. They become something real, and something primal. They can make or break your classroom atmosphere and they can make or break you as an instructor. Thus they become something primal and earthy and important.

Although, I guess most people may not think of them that way. Most people are pretty chill about the whole JET gig. But some people (like me) have no middle gear: we can be only serious or apathetic. I perform better in serios mode.

However, I have not addressed the actual kids themselves. My school is a part of the Confusion heirarchy of the Japanese school system. Even though there is no official and recognized ranking of the schools they are still rated by CW and ambitious parents. My school is roughly in the middle, and some years we average middle middle, and some (as in recent times) we are closer to bottom middle. Our students are generally known as being extremely fun and laid back, but not always the most interested in studying. I have found that to be true. There are only a few students in the school I have disliked and for the most part everyone is friendly and sweet. They are all vivacious and have a clear idea of what they want out of their high school career. At least that is the way it seems on this side of the language barrier.

My students this year are a few cuts above the ones I had last year. Already I am enjoying the year more and I have only just started the second lesson. Every class has been divided in half so I only teach 20 students at a time. It is much more managable than the 40 I had the first year (although academically they were much better than the ones I had last year, and probably better than this year's group too). Both the A and B half of the class have the same kind of attitude. Some classes are very rambunctious and willing to speak, and there are others that are quiet and shy. A lot of it depends on their homeroom teacher's personality, and I will get to that some other time.

Hagen Daz Japanese flavors

I love ice cream, and these days I really love good quality ice cream. In Japan the most readily available quality brand is Hagen Daz. For quality Green Tea (抹茶 Maccha) ice cream there is no better brand. As long as I live, too, this will be my favorite flavor. An attempt to describe it would take more space than you are willing to read. However, I must admit there are some stunning new flavors out in Japan this summer.

The best that I have found is Chai flavor. I really like Chai as it gives a nice spicy edge to the tea taste. Tea that packs a punch, there is nothing better. The Raspberry and Cream (which has a French name I cannot remember) is good if there is a lot of Raspberry but when it is lacking all you have is Rich Milk flavored ice cream. I like Rich Milk, but when I want fruit it alone will not suffice. Of course there is the ever-present melon flavor. Melon is popular and expensive in Japan so most foods have some kind of melon variant. This is true for cake, bread, soda, candy, ice cream, and almost anything that you can imagine. Also included this summer are Mango and Rum Raisin. I am looking forward to new tastes coming out as we turn to summer. Maybe we'll get 米 (rice) flavored ice cream. Hmmm ...

Sunrise

One of the things I will never get over is how early the sun rises here. It begins to get light outside at around four am. At 6 or 630 the sun streams directly into my window. In the winter this is fine because a) it is cold and I need the heat b) it is water winter light that is not too bright and c) I can sleep through it. But now that it is well into spring the light is bright and hot and wakes me up.

There are two reasons that I wake up so easily now. They are both connected to my apartment and my personal laziness. I have one patio sized window that face sunrise almost directly. My window space is about two and a half meters long. The only curtains I can find for under $300 (depending on the exchange rate...) are only 198cm long. They are also light in color and cheap in material. Thus, they are far, far from the adequate protection required in the warmer months. Because they are too thin to block the heat I wake up sweating. Because they are too short and too sheer to block the light, I either get up early or sleep badly. You would think I would just get new curtains. But the height makes it difficult to hang them, and the price tag galls me. I am either going to live with this for another year or figure something out. Stay tuned for details.

説明しよう！(let's explain!)

One of the points of this blog is to give you a chronical of what goes on in the life of a real JET in Japan. I know that there are many excellent resources out there for most of what I write about so I do not try to explain in explicit detail. What I give you is what's on my mind and what I see. However, if there is anything anyone wants to know more about please let me know.

Good-bye Sakura, Hello Fuji!

Well the time for Cherry blossoms here is at an end. Actually it ended about a week and a half ago, the recent spats of rain we have been getting knocked most of the petals off the trees. The next part of the odyssey is the "fresh and green" look of the new leaves on the trees. While I will always be a slight cynic and wonder at people's propensity for creating drama, I will also in a larger part of my heart take pleasure in the Japanese way of thinking. Never is there a dull moment in the turning of the seasons. If the plum blossoms are gone we are looking forward to the cherry blossoms, if the cherry blossoms are in bloom we go to hanami, when all the flowering is over we appreciate the fresh green leaves on the trees. And I have to admit that it is true for me as well, being here has brought me back to my younger days when things like this meant so much more.

The current flower in bloom here is Wisteria. I have never before thought of
Wisteria as being outside Victorian novels, or on Southern verandas. But, here it has become more important. The name of my town is 藤井寺ーFujiidera. The first character means Wisteria, and the full meaning is probably Wisteria (town, community) Temple. Osaka is not famous for wisteria, but there is a lot of it around here to be enjoyed. There is a good sized arbor near our cafeteria (食堂) and when it is in full bloom in the spring it is very pretty.

As for me, I have several irons in the fire. I am currently studying for the Level 2 Japanese Proficiency Exam. Granted it takes place in December, but there is so much to learn. I am also continuing nicely with my shamisen lessons. I learned a new technique yesterday that will cure my errant plucking hand. I am meeting new people and making contacts who will help me learn some (easy) Japanese cooking, and I am very excited about that. I am staying in Japan for Golden Week this year, as England used up all my leave time and flights were too expensive when I was off. Currently a movie and wine night is in the works and will be held at my house, thus I have been cleaning.

School Days

This is my desk on the third floor in the English teachers room. Fourth floor 1st year desk to follow soon!

Sumo!

Fun Sumo guy hanging out between bouts.

My Kids on the Roof

My Kids on the Roof
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

These are some of my first years looking down into the courtyard from the catwalk to the science wing. It is on the opposite side of the courtyard from the gym catwalk.

Main Stage

Mainstage
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

There are two stages during the Culturefest, this was the outside one. Comedy, variety shows, and Taiko performances are held out here. The dramas and musicals are held in the gym. My first year the ESS and I did English interviews out here, and I played a violin solo.

Culturefest Courtyard

Culturefest Courtyard
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

Every year my school, as do most Japanese high schools and middle schools, has a culture festival (Bunkasai). The kids sell food and perform skits to make money for their class and their clubs. Last year we had some really good work done both on booths and skits. This is the courtyard where my students had their food booths and one of the main stages. There is a good view from the catwalk to the gym, which is where this picture is taken from.

Me and Kuano Suano

Me and Kuano Suano
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

This is me and one of my favorite third years. She is a college student now. I went to Hanami with her a few weeks ago and had a great time catching up. We can see that I do not photograph very well. That is why there are few exhibited pictures of me.

My Guys in the Hall

My Guys in the Hall
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

These are some of my first years hanging out in the hall during the first day of culturefest last year. It was extrememly hot and they found a place with a nice breeze and some shade.

Why I Don't Like Rain in Japan

I do not like rain in general. Aside from the pleasingly fresh feeling you get after a rain storm there is really nothing about it that makes me happy. The clouds obscure my mood, I can't wear anything cute for fear of getting wet, and it makes it extremely difficult to get anywhere on my bike. I have no car, way too expensive anyway, so bike is what I have to get around and about. There are lots of reasons why it is difficult to bike in the rain.

Going to school, my students just carry an umbrella while they ride. Even the girls in their skirts. Contrary to popular belief (Japan...) it is not that difficult to ride with an umbrella. Some day I will show you the pictures my parents have of me doing bike tricks back in Washington State. No, whenever I use an umbrella my legs still get wet. As I usually wear jeans and not the synthetic horror of a fabric my students use, I usually stay wet for way longer than is realistically do-able. I could just change at school, but that is way too much hassle in our nasty student-cleaned bathrooms.

I have a rain suit actually made by Columbia and bought in the USA. Actually I bought it at UVA before I went to Japan the first time. I do wear this, especially during the rainy seasons (which seems to last at least all summer as it intersects with the typhoon season). However, it is very, very hot. Plastic (rubber?) does not breath at all so by the time I get to school I am almost as soaked in sweat as I would be from the rain. In the winter it is not so bad, but most of the rain we get is in the hotter weather. Maybe 90% of it.

When I want to go into the city I have to walk about 1 kilometer (not so good at calculating miles here ...) to the train station. If I bring my handy fold up umbrella most of me still gets really wet due to lack of coverage and a long exposure. If I bring my bigger (convenience store) umbrellas I don't get as wet, but I do have to carry them around all day. Usually they end up bumping against my leg and getting me wet. This is a Catch-22 situation here people.

I have to admit that rain is a good thing. It makes the flowers grow, it washes off the dirt, it flushes out the open gutters and gets ride of the summer funk too. I like a nice rain storm even if I don't like cloudy weather and the hassle of biking. All you can do is gamman, which is the Japanese word for endurance. It just has the sense of unholy (and sometimes really idiotic) suffering. Oh well. I really do love it here so I will gamman. Gamman, gamman, gamman- but if you find a breathable rain suit set please do let me know!

Osaka Bars and Stuff

The picture below is not actually of me. That is my friend Helena who works for a private school in the city. Since she has homeroom duties, morning meeting duties, a zillion classes, and supervises the cleaning of the toilets-I really think she works too hard. But judging from my schedule everyone works too hard. In any case, she's wearing Jason's "I am Japan Man" glasses. I thought they were real, but it turns out that they just block UV rays and look cool. He said that he bought them to blend in and since the blond chick from Europe told him his "English was very good" I guess they worked. It must be interesting to be a stealth foreigner in Japan ... at least he speaks Japanese.

We went to Lonestar for dinner, and even though it was cheap, I cannot recommend it. The enchilada was lacking in style and taste. But the margaritas (same price as the enchilada) were pretty good so drinking there is fine. Bar Rock Rock is an interesting mix of High School kids trying not to get caught, crazy white guys with no rhythm, and the foreign/local punkish crowd. It was really cool, but the drinks were weak and the shots were small. The music was good though, and I would go there again and order wine.

All in all it was a very good night. It was nice to go out with some fun new people and introduce them to my Japanese friends. I like the Amemura (America Mura, or American village) crowd and area. I want to go back to one of the "leather nights" at the clubs in triangle park. However since the trains stop running at midnight and the fun starts in the wee hours it will require an allnighter. Not since the mythic days of Jenny and Jane have we had one of those ... I wonder who will come with me ... and is single ...

Ume v. Sakura

Ume and Sakura are two of the most Japanese things out there. Ume being the plum blossums and Sakura being the cherry blossums. I was reading a book about Murasaki Shikibu, the author of The Tale of Genji, and one of the characters in the book made an interesting point: why are Sakura such a big deal and not Ume? The answer, which I have read in many forms since comming here, lies in part of the Japanese Psyche. The Ume bloom for an extended period of time. Incidentally they are one of the first trees to bloom and usually start in February. The blossums range from shocking pink to white and they are very beautiful. (I have a particular fondness for Ume.) In contrast, the Sakura bloom for a very short period before the petals fall. There is usually one span of days where they are at their best (this year it was luckily a weekend) and after that breif moment they fade and fall. The Japanese appreciate this fleeting and delicate beauty and the way it mirrors the life and death of human beings. It is quaint and melancholy, like so much of Japanese culture.

Plum blossums, not being so fleeting, are not so achingly beautiful. We can appreciate them but not reserve the special emotional bond we feel for the Sakura. I think it is very interesting, and not one of the things that the Americans who attended the DC Cherry Blossum festival would understand. Many people ("schoalers") say that Japanese culture has become a sham, only lip service to what were once real ideals and culture. The young people do not really understand the culture, they say, and it is dying out. But that goes for all young people. You never really start to appreciate things until you get older and realize that these little, quaint things have a very real value. Until you realize that your life is just like the cherry blossums, short and fleeting and beautiful, you do not appreciate what you have.

Pht04162318.jpg

Clubbing in Osaka!

Shamisen, the Japanese "Banjo"

Let me tell you about how I fell in love on Tuesday night. It has been a rough two-month affair but things have finally fallen into place. It got so fierce the last time that last night I found something broken. It took a little swearing to get everything tied into place, and a bit of research on the internet, and in the end the thing that got me started again was a pair of pliers. Someday when I publish a romance novel under an assumed name, I am going to publish this paragraph on the back.

I am, of course, talking about falling in love with the Shamisen. I have played for two months and last Tuesday is the first time I have been able to play my second song from memory without my teacher helping me. My strings are made of silk, and the highest one is very thin and breaks easily. I had to switch it for a nylon one yesterday, and that is where the pliers came in. Let me do a little explaining so you can get the whole picture.

First of all, there are a lot of good Shamisen resources on the internet. All you have to do is google it and you will find a great comprehensive explanation of history, style, and mechanics. I am learning in a very organic and Japanese style, so that is the way my explanation will go.

One of my teachers here at the High School has played Shamisen for around 18 years. I went to hear her play earlier this year, and sat through a 5 hour concert. It was actually pretty interesting because I got to see a great exhibition of all the skill levels, and it was joined by the singing of traditional Japanese folk songs. With things like this you kind of tune in and out, and sometimes things seem strange and fascinating, and others they just seem weird, stupid, and way too Japanese. But in the end I really liked it. I mentioned that to my teacher after the winter break and she offered to set me up with some lessons. The kicker was I had to buy my own instrument and it ran about $650 American. I ended up getting an instrument a step above student level for the student instrument price. This was due to my teacher's connections and influences. It is a great piece of work and I really like the sound.

I have to state right now that my teacher only speaks Japanese. My lessons are conducted in Japanese and he gives me notes written in Kanji. I catch about 50% of what is said, and I think he gets about the same when I try to speak Japanese. I don't actually remember my teacher's name, so I use the catch-all "Sensei" when I talk to him or about him. He is a nice guy and I am glad to be his student.

He teaches me by giving me the song title and then playing about a phrase of the song. We repeat that for the lesson and he sends me home to practice for a week. The first week I remembered everything, but since then I definitely have a learning curve of about two lessons. I learn something new, and remember a little of it, but it takes me another lesson to get it down. I spend the next week trying to remember the new part. This cycle has repeated until the present.

Right before I went on vacation to England I finished learning two full songs. In total I can play about 3-4 minutes of music at a time, combining the two. Last Tuesday was the first day I was able to play all of my second song from memory and during my lesson we actually got around to playing with expression and feeling. I am really hooked now.

The construction of the Shamisen is one of the things I like about it. The bottom is basically like any other string instrument, a hollow box. It is covered in what looks like paper but is actually either dog or cat skin. I have not asked about mine as I really do not wish to know. Nevertheless, this is part of what gives the instrument its unique sound. The finger board is almost a meter long, and the strings are sized accordingly. They are tied to a braided rope at the bottom of the sound box. When my silk string broke I had trouble with the nylon one because it was so slippery. Nylon strings do not like to tie, so I had to use pliers to hold the tied end while I tightened the string the first time. I am lucky it didn't break under all the force!

I learned something interesting on Tuesday about my finger board. The Shamisen finger board is constructed of three separate pieces that are jointed together but not glued or tied. These pieces fit into the sound box and are held in by the string tension and the bottom peg. You can unstring the instrument, take off the soundbox, take out the peg and unjoint the finger board to carry or store it. There is no sound post, like in a violin, viola, or cello, so storing the box with no string tension will not damage it. I am glad because this will make it easier to transport home in tandem with my violin.

The Shamisen is played by striking the strings with the "botchi". This is a tool that is wide and flat at the striking end and thick and square at the handle end. They used to be made of ivory or bone, but these days I think they are made of some synthetic substance. The ends are pointed (the whole thing kind of looks like a spatula, or like an okonomiyaki tool) and you use the left end to strike the strings. It ends up being a cross between a strike and a pluck. After a downward strike you can pluck with an upward motion. When you add the twangy, rusty sound of the strings it is easy to see how it can be likened to a banjo. Both are also folk instruments used in a very specific type of music. The music of both is definitely appreciated most by fans of the genera. They are both considered slightly non-mainstream and have a folky feel to them.

For anyone interested in stringed instruments and Japanese culture, I definitely recommend the Shamisen. It is a bit expensive, with the instrument at $650 and the lessons around $100 a month (and likely more expensive in the States). However, it has a very distinctive sound and it is a genuine piece of ancient and modern Japanese culture.

Gaijin Finder, Again

I hate to rescind a reccomendation, but I have ended my love affair with gaijinfinder.com. I have met several people off of the site, but none of them have really turned out to be what they seemed. Well, the first guy did, but he was a bit too pushy. I have one more person I am considering contacting, and since he's foreign I assume his intentions will not be as shady as the people I have already met. Meeting people in Japan seems to happen best the same way it happens at home: getting out there and talking to everyone. I cannot fake my way into friendship.

Osaka Waterfront

Osaka Waterfront
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

Osaka has an industrial waterfront, but it can still be very pretty!

Osaka Castle

Cell phones can be useful for illustrating points!

Gaijin Finder

I want to give a shout out to www.gaijinfinder.com because it is a great site for meeting new people in Japan. If you don't speak Japanese gaijin means foreigner. We non Japanese have a love/hate relationship with the term because it is steeped in J culture and can be somewhat derogatory. But whatever, we're over it.

Kimono Picture

I am posting my Kimono picture on this site also. The Kimono is the traditional Japanese costume. It comes in many forms and is worn by women and men. The men's style is jacket and pants affair while the women's version is more dresslike. My Vice Principal is very kind and took me to have my hair done and be dressed in her family's kimono. Usually a family with daughters will own one for the coming of age ceremony that happens when Japanese children turn 20. It is a very big affair that involves dressing up and going to the family shrine to pray. I went with my VP and several ladies from my PTA English Salon to a few different temples around our city. It was great because the plum blossoms were in bloom and we got some excellent pictures. My VP called them omiyai pictures, which are what you take when you are looking for an arranged marriage. Your potential mates are shown your pictures and you are shown theirs. I really had a spectacular time that day.


Kimono

Spring Time

Ah Spring, one of my favorite seasons- especially in Japan. Spring to me is a time of change and activity. It means climbing into my loft and switching my winter cloths for my spring and summer wardrobes. This is extremely time consuming considering the size of my wardrobes and the height of my loft. In the same vein it means that my space heater can also go back into the loft. The walls on Japanese apartments are so thin that the temperature on the inside very closely matches the temperature outside. I spent about two and a half weeks with my fingers turning blue because I was trying to save money on heating. Spring means the end of times like these, and it comes before the blistering wet heat of summer when we all hide inside near the air conditioner.

The Spring semester also brings a whole new crowd of students to my school. The Japanese School year begins in early April. The spring term is the first (unlike in America) and it runs through late July. It is followed by the fall term, which is also the longest and runs from early September to mid December. The final term, which we have (kind of) recently finished is the winter term which runs from mid January to early March. It was hard for me to get used to at first, especially since I started work during the second semester and had to work with kids who were used to a whole different style of ALT.

As I have acclimatized to the Japanese way, though, I have to admit I really like it. Unlike the American system with its paltry vacations for winter and spring, and the insanely long summer semester, my students have three breaks that are about two to three weeks long. It is a long enough time for the kids to get a part time job, or travel (like me ...), and generally wind down from the semester. Starting up after the breaks is a little weird, usually the third years start the fall and winter semesters first so they can study for their university exams. The second years come next, and the first year students (mine) always start last and end last. I don't know why the second years start earlier than the first years, but I am making it my mission to find out.

Spring also brings to mind Cherry blossoms and school sports. The Sakura are late in blooming this year due to weather that was colder than average. This weekend may be the premier weekend to view the Sakura, but I get a bonus view because my school has an excellent view of a pond ringed by them. As the weather teases the trees into blooming it also encourages the soft tennis team to begin their full team practices again. Japanese students take their sports very seriously. Sometimes their zeal is comparable to fanaticism (the soft tennis kids are a good example). Even if they rarely win a game (take a bow baseball club!) the kids are always out there in the morning and afternoon for long, long hours. This goes on in the balmy spring, the blistering and wet summer, the semi blistering fall, and usually for at least part of the cold, cold winter. They generally only have time for one sport or activity, so it makes a very different high school experience from the American version.

This year is shaping up nicely. My new students seem poised and ready to begin their high school career. The ones I have talked to assure me that they are ready to study English very hard! I know this determination will fade as the weeks go by, but right now we are off to an excellent start.

Hajimemashite, Nice to Meet You!

This is over flow from the Nekocon blog. I do a lot of traveling and people have a lot of questions about what goes on, so I though I would start this up to keep them posted.

England and Malasia

Place: Kuala Lumpur, Malasia
London, England
Dates: March 19-April 1 2005
Status: Finished
Analysis: Nice

I returned from England about 45 hours ago. Most of my time since has been spent sleeping, although I did make it to the gym for a few hours. England was really very nice. London is another big city, but it is very walkable. You can make it from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square to Convent Garden all in one day with a stop at the National Gallery and lunch. While in the city we saw most of the major landmarks. The only thing we missed really was the Tower of London, but we did see three different musicals. The best was Phantom of the Opera, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was the most spectactular in effects, and the Lion King was the most popular. London scenery is like any other big city scenerey, lots of neon, lots of people, fast paced and exciting. It was much dirtier than Osaka or even DC in my opinion. I have never been shoved around so much as I was in London. Even in DC and New York peole at least try to stay out of each others way. I guess the Euros don't really feel the same way we do about politeness. I will never think so badly of the Japanese soto/uchi system before because Londoners seem to be ruder to people they don't know and less kind to those they do.

Bath was a really nice town. The history of the Roman Baths and the presentation of the Baths themselves was excellent. The tour is a self guided audio tour, so you can hear as much or as little as you wish to hear. The walkways are all original, wide enough to hold the ladies of Jane Austen's era and their skirts. In some places there are no telephone lines and few cars, when you look up it is almost like being in Victorian or pre-Victorian England. The stone is all buff colored Cotswolds lime stone and very nice. Bath Abby is spectactular, all soaring arches and stained glass. One nice thing about it is that you can take pictures inside. I used my new camera, a really old pentax that I picked up at the camera store in front of the Abby. It's a great place and I reccomend that you drop by when you go. The staff is really helpful and fun to talk to about photography. Ask about the guy who wants to photography tigers, he's my favorite Briton.

The Royal Cresent and the Circus are excellent examples of traditional Bath architecture. However, they can seem a little bleak in colder weather and they seem kind of dirty and stained. It is hearsay to put forth that opinion being that they are a great national treasure and of great historical appearance. However, for most of us, they are nice to look at and move on. Bath is a real one day kind of town. The B and Bs are great though, and I recommend the Old Mill Hotel. Go for the dinner option, it is fabulous and the waiters are really cute. Bath is also a good place to pick up some package tours. I know everybody says that tours are bad, blah blah blah, go on your own ... but we saw Stonehenge, Avebury, a historical town with one of the Harry Potter buildings in it, and Castle Combe in the Cotswolds. Plus we got comentary and a native guide. Mad Max runs a really good minibus tour, and I am glad I got the chance to go on a trip with the company.

Cirencester and the Cotswolds are really nice too. Cirencester has a bus that will take you to a line of towns from the North to the Southern Cotswolds. For 4 pounds it is a pretty good deal. Morton on the Marsh, Stowe on the Wold, and Bourton on the Water are pretty and good examples of standard Cotswolds architecture. I wish we had time to go hiking out near Birdlip and biking on the paths out there, but time was short and luggage was heavy. We saw a ton of great stuff while we were there, including a creepy toy museum, a local crafts outlet where we watched glass blowing, plenty of abbys, an original part of Cirencester's Roman wall, and the town market. At the market we saw all kinds of things that local farmers and producers were making, from jam to wine to meat to apple champagne. Cirencester is a highly recommended place to go.

England is a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Being American, everything felt slightly off. It was like being in a strange twilight zone episode. It was not the accents or the million different languages that we heard. It was more a sense that everything was slightly shifted, and since it was Europe it probably shifted to the left. In any case, we spoke English and looked similar but did not share a cutlure. I think that was what threw me over all. Everything seemed slightly drab compared to home from the soggy food to the staid locals. And it was dirty over there, I have lived in Japan for a year and a half- I expect order and cleanliness. I would like to go back to hike in the Cotswolds and to see Stratford Upon Avon. I want to go to Dover and to Brighton and I'd like to see Penzance and Land's End. The only thing that is forbidding is the prices, most things are almost double what they are in the states and they are even higher for food here than they are in Osaka. It is interesting but not all together engaging in England.

I really liked the time we spent in Malasia. We flew Malasia Air, and it was good apart from the plane food. I know airline food is always less than palatable, but this was all really odd tasting and textured. Ayu's pasta stuffed with parmesian tasted more like mochi. But Malasia itself was really nice, at least our hotel near the airport was. The locals were friendly and the food was good. The Heinikan, however, was really expensive. Flying back we had a six hour layover and took the KLIA Express into town. It took about an hour to get to the KLCC, or the twin business towers, but it was worth it. The views at night (in the rain...) were really spectactular. The prayers broadcast from the Mosque were beautiful and slightly eerie in the neon lighted night air. It underscored the fact that we were in a forign place with a vastly different base culture from our own, despite how modern and western the KLCC mall might make it look. We had a chance to try some Malasian food before going back to the airport and we finished off the night with watermelon juice made fresh from watermelon and ice. Prices were extremely low even in KL city.

Our taxi to the airport (due to difficulties with the train) was really interesting. Our driver gave us his number and told us he'd hook us up with F1 tickets if we came to Malasia again next year, as is our plan. He spoke four languages, two versions of Indian (not Native American, duh), Malay, and English. He also knew some Japanese so Ayumi was really excited. He told us he liked Americans and that Sadam Hussien was a terrible man that needed to be deposed because of what he was doing to his people. It was actually quite interesting, although I had a hard time understanding him sometimes. That can as easily be put down to Jet Lag as to his accent, though. It was an enlightening hour long ride and we stopped for gas and saw that you fill the tank by lifting the hood of the car. There are also two types of gas: Petrol and the cheaper kind that our driver preferred. I wonder why it is cheaper and if it has to do with the quality of the fuel, and does it affect performace of the car? I may never know.

KL is a really rich city. I was suprised to see how much development they had, even compared to Bankok which seemed grittier. I suspect the wealth gap between rich and poor in KL is huge. I wonder how it affects their country. Speaking of divisions, they have three major populations: Indian, Native Malasian, and Chinese. I wonder how it works out, and if they feel a single country unity. Southeast Asia is such an interesting place, I wish I had the same kinds of questions about Western powers. Now that is something to strive for.

To sum it up I will give you my reccomendations. Malasian Air is really nice and a stopover in KL for a few days will do anyone good. Especially you people that are freaked out by the idea of SE Asia, because it is pretty safe and comfortably Western style. London is a nice city, but I prefer Osaka, DC, and New York in that order. I do recommend the National Gallery though, and getting half price theater tickets at the TKTS booth in Leicester Square is definitley worth it. Try curry in the city and get it take away for cheaper prices. Bath is a great place to walk, and the BandB culture is the best part of the country. Go for a four star place and you'll enjoy your vacation so much more. You must see the Roman Baths, but feel free to give the Jane Austen Museum a miss as it is stuff and not overly informative. Stonehenge and Avebury are a must and Mad Max does an excellent tour. Cirencester is indeed the Capitol of the Cotswolds and worth a stay and a ramble. Try to go hillwalking out there though, sacrifice your time in London for it if you must. Try for a stop over in KL city, and stay if it is possible. The city is nice and the food is good. The KLIA Concorde Inn is far from the city but cheap and has a great buffet breafast and dinner. Enjoy yourselves, and be careful out there!