Not a lot to talk about. I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!!!
I have also added a few new pics!!!
Enjoy.
あぎ
Author: Oggy (Page 20 of 29)
So, I’ve been thinking about all the “strange” foods I’ve eaten since coming here, here is a short list of foods, some with brief explanations when necessary:
Not in any particular order…
Natto – Easily one of the most disgusting foods I’ve ever eaten. It is fermented soybeans. The people in northern Japan love it. It’s like crack for kids, and most Japanese in my area eat it everyday for breakfast. This is easily one of those love it or hate it foods. It looks like snot. It smells like… well, it’s bad, and it tastes terrible. It was so bad, I was actually crying after taking just one bite.
Grilled Pork Intestines – Tasty, but chewy.
Cartilage – Not sure what animal this fine meal came from, but I had it in two ways. The first was Yakitori (meat on a stick). It was bad. It was tough and chewy. Then, I had some smaller pieces that were battered and fried. That was actually pretty good. It was crunchy and pretty tasty.
Beef Stomach – Another one of those foods I’ll probably never eat again. I’m not even 100% sure it was completely cooked. It was pretty bad.
Beef Tongue – This stuff is tough. It’s kind of tasty… I guess. If you put enough sauce on it. I tried it once, but I don’t think I’ll be having this fine meat again.
Beef diaphragm – AMAZING. This is a wonderfully tender muscle, and so juicy.
I know there are a couple others that I can’t think of. Usually, I have to have a couple drinks to force myself to try some of these new foods, and the worse it looks… well, you get the point.
There are a few of the foods that we think of as being normal that I’ve had here too, such as liver. They love their sashimi, and that doesn’t just stop with fish. Beef liver and horse sashimi tend to be fairly popular. I have sworn that I won’t try horse for two reasons. First, they eat it raw, and I have a serious problem with eating raw red meat. Secondly, because like a dog or a cat, a horse can be a good friend. I don’t want to eat my friends =)
So there you have it. It’s my first (not complete at all) list of new foods. There are photos of some of them in my albums.
So, I titled this post as appropriately as I possibly could.
Things have been happening, and I haven’t been updating, so I’m going to briefly talk about as much as I can remember at 5:30 in the morning =)
First, I had my second CouchSurfing hosting experience. This time, it was with a married couple from New Zealand. They were nice, and once again, helped cook a big dinner. They were in Koriyama after some religious conference, and off to Seto Garo (a nice park with 7 or 8 beautiful waterfalls) the following day. We just kind of hung out and talked all night.
Secondly, I found a home away from home. There’s a little Korean Bar within about 10 minutes on foot. I have spent many late nights there. They have a pool table, and the owner keeps letting me play for free. I also mentioned that I like Crown Royal, and he decided that he was going to start stocking it for me. Since then, he’s told me that it has become one of his most popular drinks. I love going there for a few reasons. First, I feel like a star there. I sing karaoke, play pool and darts, and talk to pretty much everyone that walks in the door. I get a lot of free drinks, and they make some amazing Korean food. I also love the environment. Unlike most of the Japanese bars, this one is completely open. There are no walls separating tables. Everyone can see and talk to each other freely. I think that this is one of the things I missed the most about the social life in the US. On top of all that, the owner, or his brother, has driven me home pretty much every time that I have stayed until closing time. It’s nice to not have to walk back after a night of festivities.
Moving on, I have been working Monday through Friday this month as opposed to my normal Tuesday through Saturday schedule. I don’t think I like it. While I get Saturdays off, Mondays just feel like… well, Mondays. I really enjoy having Mondays off. My schedule is going back to normal next month when one of the teachers comes back from his long vacation.
I think I’ve also been doing a good job. I was told today that it has been expressed to the staff to never trade teachers from some of my students. I guess that means that I am doing alright.
Well, it looks like the sun’s starting to come up and the crows are starting in with their morning music. I think that means it’s time to go to sleep.
Hope everyone is having a good time.
Talk to you later,
Bryan
I had my first CouchSurfing hosting experience in Japan this week. It was wonderful.
There were two girls visiting the Fukushima Prefecture from Tokyo. I must say, it is strange to have complete strangers come into your home, given complete access to your most personal place, but it’s fun.
They came in on Wednesday. I had Thursday off for the Equinox (yes, Japan celebrates the Equinox). On Thursday, we went to Aizu (Aizu Wiki). It’s the home of a huge castle. It is a very historical and beautiful place.
Last weekend, I finally went to Iwaki. We had a morning of picking up trash on the beach, and then a bbq afterwards. I think I slept through most of the bbq (I’m not used to waking up at 4:00am after getting to sleep at 1:00am). It was fun. Someone left some kittens in a tiny cooler on the beach, and with a note that asked someone to take them to a good home. It was sad. Well, one of my coworkers saw this, and decided to take them home to find homes for them. They are so cute. It’s sad that someone could just leave them out there to die like that. Good thing there are people like Erin to make sure they are alright.
I have so much more I could talk about, but I have to get ready for work.
I’m uploading some new pics as well!!! Hope you like them.
~O~
1: If you are a lover of facial hair, you should do the John Oates mustache-growing-look-a-like-competition at McNellie’s!!!
The Competition –
– Come to the Pub on Thursday, September 16th, between 6:00 – 9:00 PM, to have your “before” picture taken
– Come back to the Pub on Thursday, October 14th, between 6:00 – 9:00 PM, to have your “after” picture taken
Just shave it all off and go in on the 16th for your before pic. It would be awesome if someone that I know wins it.
2: As much as I didn’t want one, I am getting an iPhone 4. There are two reasons. First, it’s basically free. It costs $400, but they take off $20 from each bill for having it. Second, I would have had to wait another 3 weeks for an HTC Desire, and I just don’t want to wait, and since I’m an American, and expect instant gratification, I won’t wait for it =p
3: Busy weekend: Friday was soccer night. I’m still a bit sore. Saturday was drinking night #1. Sunday was drinking night #2. Monday was OMFG hangover day, and sign up for iPhone service.
4: Things are going well. Still freaking lonely, but apparently that is supposed to change when I get my cell phone since everyone here uses text instead of voice.
5: This Friday is another drinking night. It’s a not-surprise, surprise birthday for a friend here. He’s the one that helped myself and another friend out when we went in to sign up for our cell phone service. Gotta think of something to get him…
As I fall into a routine, there isn’t going to be a lot of news to write about. I will still try to post every couple weeks, but if I go a few weeks without posting, don’t get worried, I’m just leading a boring life here in Japan instead of in Tulsa (as if I ever led a boring life) =p