Too much structure can be too much

so um, my camera is broken so there won't be
any pictures that I've taken shown for
a while.....

I have been battling over skype with Citi Bank Japan these past couple days to try and figure out how to set up a transfer from my account to my host families account (JASSO - the scholarship I was getting while over there-- ended up paying out March's portion even though I 1. didn't sign for it and 2. am no longer there. But now I can pay back my host family so I'm not really complaining).

After going through all the menu options in both Japanese and English until I hear the one that sounds remotely like the problem I am having:

Today our computerized phone receptionist will be
played by Lady Gaga

Generic computer phone women's voice: "please enter your account number"

Me: grumbles while tears through bag to find card; enters number.

Woman's voice: "now enter your telephone pin number"

Me: "my what?"

Woman's voice: "please enter your telephone pin number"

Me: enters pin number

Woman's voice: "we're sorry, that number you've entered is incorrect. Please enter your telephone pin number"

Me: "stupid computerized piece of..." enters number in again.

Woman's voice: "We're sorry, that number you've..."

Me: hangs up.

I called back and did it all over again, entering what I thought was my PIN number but turned out to be the wrong pin number and I was transfered to a human.

I get talking with this guy (who's English is so-so but I can manage). He tells me that in order to transfer the money I have to apply for something called a "one time pin". What does it take to do that?

Citi bank man: "I'm going to transfer you back to the computer system where you'll have to enter in your telephone pin number".

OH I'LL GIVE YOU A PIN NUMBER!!!!!
(me played by Beyonce)

Me: "but wait! I've already tri..." Too late, i'm transfered and the woman is back demanding my number.

I hang up and call back.

I get someone different. We go through the explanations and just before he's about the switch me to computer woman from hell I tell him that I don't know what my "telephone pin" is.

Citi Bank man: "oh well, if you've signed up for banking online then you should know it".

Me: "looks like I forgot it".

Citi Bank Man: " you should have gotten it in the mail on a little post card when you first opened your account".

Me: "yeah that's gone".

Citi Bank Man: "oh..."

Me: "Is there any way you can just look me up in your system and go from there"

Citi Bank Man: "no, we need that PIN number, we can't look up anything without it".

Which is complete BS because I called them a couple weeks ago about closing down the account and the guy just looked me up with my name and date of birth. But this man could not be convinced otherwise.

Solution?

He told me to download this registration form and send it in by mail then they'll manually register the account that I want to transfer to. Should take about forever to complete.

I understand that companies have certain laid out ways of processing things, but sometimes you got to break the rules a little bit. Just sometimes. Why couldn't they just look me up with name and my account number? Who knows.

Thank you for calling Citi Bank, have a nice day.

Jerks.


--In other news--

I've been working my butt off lately (not complaining seeing as how I'll be able to pay my rent and car insurance on time~). In addition to my current job at OIA (office of international affairs) I have picked up a student to tutor in English! The Middle Eastern Studies advisor heard that teaching English was kind of my thing and hunted me down and introduced me to a student from Qatar who is having some difficulties with his English studies. Very nice guy and eager to learn, but at the very most beginning level right now.

I don't know this for a fact but I don't think that they require you to learn English in the Middle Eastern countries. Most the students from the Middle Eastern countries are all in the Intensive English Language Program (and a good portion of them fail their classes on a regular basis for more reasons than just not being able to understand what's going on). My new student has been here since winter term this year and is still mastering his ABC's (but he's moving through them like a trooper!). I helped him with his English HW and could tell that he gets it, it's just being able to remember things without needing something to prompt him.
I charge him $10/hr and we're scheduled to meet twice a week (although he's very relaxed about time and was at first saying "oh, whenever you're free is fine". To which I was like "no, I need structure, when are you free"?). Canaan (the middle eastern advisor) said that he'd be shooting more students my way in the future so. bring on the tutoring~

$10/hr is less than I was charging in Japan but the way people think about money over here is way different than in Japan. If I had been asking for 1000 yen/hr over there then I wouldn't have gotten any students because they all would have been wondering why I was so cheap! Whereas here, if I had gone above $12 no one would even consider me! So why did I go with 10? Because I don't have any fancy qualifications other than what I can tell them I've done in Japan and that i'm a Linguistics student. Whereas in Japan all I had to be was a native speaker and I was in! Funny how that works out.

Oh and one interesting linguistics thing that I found out from my first lesson: Arabic doesn't distinguish between "p" and "b" sounds. "put" and "but" sounded the same to him. IT'S INTERESTING TO ME.

For those of you who don't know where
Qatar is; here you go. 

PEACE OUTSIDE
Jamie

"The Japanese System"

Due to some feedback I received about making my blog a better cross-cultural analysis place, this post is about how to handle differences in "systems" when abroad. If anyone else has any feedback to give me on how to improve my blog, or if there is something you want me to write about, please feel free to leave a comment (comments are open to anyone and you don't need to sign up for anything).

From my experience (so don't yell at me and be like "that's not how all Japanese are" because that's not what i'm saying). Anyway, from my experience, Japanese have some very set ways of doing things, and when they have set these ways they do not like to stray from their set path (aka, not very flexible). And I'm not talking everyday people, i'm talking professionally. For example:

When I went to Starbucks a couple months ago, I wanted soy milk in my tall coffee. Just a splash, nothing more. But they don't set soy milk out as an option on the milk counter, there's just non-fat and regular. So I asked if I could get some, thinking that it wouldn't' be a problem. Well, it wasn't a problem but they wanted to charge me 50 yen for my splash, which is roughly 50 cents (although with the exchange rate now it's probably closer to a dollar). Naturally, I argued. I just wanted a little bit, not even a tablespoon full. No? You can't even give me that? You're sorry, you have no excuse? (they say "mo-shi-wa-ke- a-ri-ma-sen" here a lot which roughly means "I have no excuse", and when you hear it you know you have lost the battle). Well, what if I say please? Not going to work? Okay fine! Here's your damn 50 yen! I pay, and they bring me one of those sample cups full of soy milk. o.v.e.r.k.i.l.l. And I have never asked for soy milk again. Comparing that situation to if it had happened in America, the Starbucks worker would have given me what I wanted without much of an argument because it's not a very big request (perhaps because of the whole "customer's always right thing"?). I think I am pretty used to the way of the Japanese, and normally I wouldn't have argued over this but just said, "oh, I see" and quietly paid. On this day, however I was feeling feisty.. Which was not very grown up of me but hey, we all have our moments.  Which leads me into my next topic of unflinching stubbornnes; the school system. 

I have finals coming up. One of my finals lands on one of the training days for my future potential job (fingers crossed), so I go up to the teacher and am like:

And you don't want this to be a reality when you
are the immigrant. 

"hey teach, if we're not able to attend the final, when is the make-up day?" (like in the states, they have a testing center for people who have a schedule conflict). 

Teacher: "Why Jamie, are you going to miss the final?".

Me: "I might have a problem". 

Teach: "what?".

Me "(stop prying, it's none of your business) I might have a training day for my job on that day and they can't change the day".

Teach: "oh well, we only allow re-takes if it's a family emergency". 

Me: "oh...No exceptions?". 

Teach: "Moshiwakearimasen". 

Me: (Damnit!!!) "Oh...I'll see what I can do then". End of conversation. Okay well, perhaps it's understandable because it is school, but at the same time I believe they should offer some sort of second option for the working people (but then again this is Japan and most students don't have full time jobs or have to pay tuition all by themselves). But I handled it without angering my sensei or breaking any cultural taboos. Turns out I can attend a different training session if I get hired too, so it all works out in the end. I think the most important thing when handling a situation in a different country where you expect a certain outcome because of past experiences in your own country, but receive a completely different (and sometimes nonsensical) outcome;  don't get angry. This isn't your country after all and you should respect their ways no matter how backwards it seems. Just recognize it, appreciate it if you can't understand it, and move on. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Although some people just don't give up,
even when failure is evident. 

In related news, I had my second interview with Gaba today! Despite my liking Minerva better, it looks like Gaba might be the winner. I have an interview with Minerva this Friday, but the fact that they only contract out for a year kind of scares me. I don't know how contracts are handled here or if they are easy things to break (don't sue me!) and I really don't want to stay until December (not that I have anything against Japan, I just really want to graduate sometime in the near future). Either way though, I'm becoming a teacher! Who would of thought me being a teacher? Not me certainly, but isn't that always the case? Not everyone can actually successfully pursue their childhood dreams after all (in my case, Sailor Moon).  

I'm having problems getting my work permit though. And by problems I mean I haven't received the notice in the mail to come and pick it up yet. Stressful. I'm going to give them a call tomorrow and see wtf is going on because I applied like, three weeks ago. Curse you government, why are you foiling my plans?!

Let me accomplished my dreams of becoming Doris Day!
...I mean a teacher!

Next post will be on Flamenco in Japan! Ole'! 

p.s. Leave comments! My blog looks lonely without comments and i'm desperate to hear from my readers! Don't be shy!

-Jamie

Kyoto part 1

I left Yukie's house a little later than I wanted (around 11:30, wanted to leave at 10 but my bed was so comfortable and warm this morning). Then I got on the train going the wrong direction so I got to Kyoto even later (around 1pm). But finding my hostel was easy and I found a tasty ramen shop to eat lunch at. I'm thinking though that I like Osaka more than I like Kyoto. People don't seem to be as friendly here as they are in Osaka. And the J Hoppers in Osaka is nicer. But i'm only here for one night so i'll make the best of it!

I went to Kiyomizu temple today (or at least what I think was Kiyomizu...it was some sort of temple anyway). The place was blissfully empty of people. It was so relaxing. The temple allowed people to actually go inside part of it which was awesome. They had this beautiful garden in the middle and a bunch of old screens on display. I can't wait to show all the pictures I took!

Near the temple there was Kyoto National Museum so I got really excited and walked around it looking for the entrance (the place was HUGE). Ten minutes of walking around only to find out that it's closed from November 24 to January 4th. As they say here "zan nen da!!" (that's too bad). So I took the bus back to Kyoto station and walked around all the little gift shops and bought things for my host family. I found some really cheap Yukatas (summer Kimono type things. Not as fancy as a Kimono though) but I resisted buying one. I don't have a lot of room in my bags because I only brought a little suitcase with me. I still have time and I'm sure I can find some cheap ones in Tokyo. You can find anything in Tokyo. I did buy my Kyoto Starbucks cup though! I've been collecting their city cups ever since I found out about them So far I have San Fransisco, Portland, Gold Coast, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto! I'm hoping I can find some in Thailand and Vietnam as well (not counting on there being a Starbucks in Cambodia though lol ).

Right now i'm sitting in the lounge area of my hostel talking to a guy from Belgium, a girl from Paris, a guy from Hiroshima (Japan), and two people from LA. I love international hostels.

Tomorrow i'm going to go see Kinkakuji (the golden temple) and maybe the one that hangs over the water. Then I'll head back to Osaka and maybe hit up the giant crab and the running man. Then I gotta catch my bus back home to Tokyo at around 9pm or so (should probably double check that....)

Good night world!!
Jamie

Osaka part 4

So I managed to get kicked out of Spa World today. Can't take me anywhere.

Spa World is a HUGE resort that is famous for it's many osen (hot springs). Their hot springs are fashioned after different parts of the world. One Bali room, a Korean room, Persian room, Japanese, and a Dr. Spa. Unfortunately, in Japan if you have a tattoo you are prohibited from entering any sort of public bathhouse/hot spring. Despite knowing this me and Yukie decided we were going to be sneaky and just not tell them that I have tattoos and use towels to cover up while we're in the water. Well, it was a good plan until we read that you weren't allowed to bring the towels into the water. So, hoping that no one would notice my giant tats on my side and shoulder we risked entry. We made it through 30 minutes until they came and said we had to leave. I bet some old grandma rated me out. The good thing is that we had made it through almost all of the hot springs and even did the mud bath and salt  ex-foliate-tor thing. I argued with them to let us stay, saying things like "But they're not bad images!", and "i'm not a bad person!!", but they were more stubborn than I was (that's new) and eventually said that they would give us our money back if we left that instant. We obliged and they gave us our 1,000 yen (about 10 dollars) back, and we left fairly satisfied ( I mean we got to go into all the hot springs for free even though it was only for 30 minutes). Missed out on the massage though, but oh well. I'll save that for Thailand and Vietnam XD

We took the train into the main part of Osaka from there and decided to go watch Norwegian Wood (a movie based off a book by Haruki Murakami who in turn based it off the Beatles song, hence the title). Now, I'm a fan of Haruki Murakami. I've read one of his books (not Norwegian Wood) and have heard good things about Norwegian Wood so I was excited to see it.

Worse. Movie. Ever.

Okay, maybe not ever but it was definitely the worse movie I've seen this year. The best part was when they rolled the credits because they played the Beatles song. I mean, I don't like love stories in general and that's what this was but since it's Murakami the story doesn't follow your typical "boy meets girl" sort of thing. Which is fine. I was expecting that. But it was so slow and the ending was pointless. The story didn't go anywhere. I don't know what the book is like but people are telling me that they really f*cked up the movie so maybe I'll brave the book one of these days.

After that traumatizing experience we met Yukie's boyfriend and we went and had some amazing Okonomiyaki (sorta like a Japanese pancake/pizza thing. It's delicious, trust me). The shop we went to has been on TV a couple times and I guess tomorrow some famous whatever is going there to make an episode of something or other. Then headed home, stopped at Tsutaya (kinda like a Blockbuster) and rented Bio-hazard 1 to make up for the crappy other movie. I fell asleep pretty fast but I could tell that it was better than Norwegian Wood.

Tomorrow i'm departing from Osaka and heading towards Kyoto! Dn't know what i'm going to do while i'm there but it should be fun!

Stay tuned!
Jamie

Halloween!

Despite Japanese people not really understanding what Halloween is all about or where it came from (although you could argue that most American's don't know either) shops still hang ghosts and spider webs in their shop windows and Halloween themed candy is distributed countrywide.

There are no little kids running around in costumes from door to door yelling "trick-or-treat" but the grown ups do get their freak on and dress crazier than usual (for Tokyo fashion anyway) and go out and party till the wee hours of the morning. They even had some parades I hear (although this might have just been an extraordinary amount of drunken dressed up fools walking the streets of Roppongi and other big party areas and someone just miss-took it for a parade).

The Niji no Kai circle at my school put together a party and I happily bought a ticket to go. They held it in this club in Shinjuku and though the ticket was a little pricey it was worth it non-the-less.

I had great fun putting together my costume. I was originally going to go as Lady Gaga but then I decided that would have been to boring and so I put a twist on it and went as ZOMBIE GAGA. I watched Youtube tutorials on how to do zombie make-up as well as a tutorial for how to get the HUGE eyes Lady Gaga sports in her Bad Romance video. I spent about 3 hours putting it all on (three pairs of fake eyelashes on EACH EYE) and the result was satisfactory:

I scared the shit outta my host dad three times that night!
XD

My clothes were inspired by her Telephone costume. Instead of cans I used curlers and instead of just a bra under my leather jacket (I can be modest) I tied up my David Bowie shirt on the sides and tucked it in around my bra. Then of course short-shorts instead of underwear and my 6'' stilettos were in order XD

Not quite the same but you get it lol 

The rest of the costumes there ranged from zombies to Teletubbies; my favorite was a guy dressed as V from V for Vendetta):

He made the mask himself! 

There was plenty of drinks and food for everyone (but no candy!?!) but the music pretty much sucked. Someone just had their Ipod plugged in on random so I asked my friend who had an IPod as well if he had any Lady Gaga music on it. He did; I told him to plug it in and play Bad Romance. He did; I got up on one of the tables and started to dance while everyone around went wild. I was epic. Until I was asked to get off the table by one of the people who was running the show. Damn Japanese etiquette.

The party lasted for about three hours and by the end of it the organizers got up and started to announce the winners of the "Best Dressed" contest which I had no idea was taking place so I wasn't really paying attention. Until they called my name. I won the grand prize!? TWO FREE TICKETS TO EITHER DISNEY LAND OR DISNEY SEA!?! AND I HAVE UNTIL NEXT NOVEMBER TO USE THEM!? 

Of course since there were two tickets the announcers asked who I was taking and I was all like "uuuhhh..who wants to go?" at which everyone was like "ME!!". Embarrassing. But so as not to hurt anyone's feelings (and so that no one would be all "ooooh, you like him don't you??" If I asked one of my guy friends there, I asked my friend Natsuyo to go with me! XD

Although I really think either the Teletubbi or V should of won but i'm not complaining. 

  

Waseda and Friends

Long time no write! Sorry my faithful readers for being so quiet.

So I've survived the first two weeks of school!

...don't let me fool you though, wasn't as hard as you might think.

Waseda is considered one of the top schools here in Japan but I am beginning to question that.
I came into this program with the knowledge that the hardest part of Japanese Universities is getting into them. After that it's pretty much a free ride until you start looking for a job (which is something else I wish to discuss, but later).
My Japanese friends in America who come over on study abroad programs always complain about how hard American universities are and that how in Japan they rarely went to class and still managed to pull a B, and that they rarely had homework/ speeches/ or reports to do. Yet, I never really took them seriously because  I would think about how hard all my Japanese high school classmates would study and would never have time for anything because class was so hard to keep up with; the exact opposite of American high schools. But again, "the hardest part of Japanese Universities is getting into them", so naturally the high school students must study to the point of suicide. But knowing this still didn't make me believe that a Japanese university was going to be much different than my university.

After two weeks of classes back in the states I would already be freaking out about the final term projects/reports/ presentations. I would already be scrambling to get as far ahead in my classes as possible in order to not fall behind in other classes. I would be loaded down with books and handouts and my laptop would already be feeling overworked.

After two weeks of classes here at Waseda I have had one reading assignment (a book which we're supposed to finish by the end of the semester but which I am already half way done with), the only homework i'm getting is from my Japanese classes which are also the only classes in which I am being challenged. There are no reports/presentations/end of term projects to think about; only tests which will all be multiple choice/ fill in the blank. My laptop is feeling depressed because I only use him for a quick email check in the morning before I head to class. I only have classes Monday-Wednesday (and one class Saturday morning).

I know what you're thinking though, "that sounds awesome, why you complaining?!?!?".
...Because I'm paying x2 the tuition to study here.

But it's really not all as bad as that. The professors include in their syllabi's extra readings and further studying options so I am taking advantage of that. Oh and perhaps you're wondering how the classes here are taught? Shouldn't it be hard because they're in Japanese?

Well, all my classes are taught in English aside from my Japanese classes. Because I am a one year exchange student I am not allowed to participate in classes that are taught outside of SILS (School of International Liberal Studies). All the staff are very international and all the students are likewise very international. This part doesn't bother me so much. I think the reason that my classes are so easy though might be because of this internationalization. Since it's not only native English speakers taking classes but people from all over the world including Japanese students, the professors have to move at a slower pace. Of course, all the non-native English speakers have to take a test before they are accepted into this school; but still, it takes longer for these students to read and write reports and such (not that there are any reports to write). This is just my theory though and since it sounds like a nice theory I think i'll stick to it. My Japanese friends who are in other departments are always alarmed that I have no homework other than Japanese homework so I believe that my theory is probably close to correct.

Aside from all this though I am really enjoying Waseda and all the different people I am meeting (even if I can't remember half their names by the end of the day). And I am learning a lot in my Japanese class. I tested into the 3rd level (out of 8) because my writing/reading comprehension isn't what it once. That said, all my classes are focused on reading/writing/ and vocabulary. Not so much speaking, but since i'm pretty confident in my speech abilities I have no problem with that. I feel kinda guilty for not keeping up on my Kanji practice back in the state. We learn about 16 new characters every week and are tested on them every week as well!

Oh and that little part about the job searching here. The fourth years are expected to start looking for jobs this month. This includes going to seminars, interviews, etc. But the thing that baffles me is they are expected to do this BEFORE they have even graduated. The Japanese school year ends in April so before they even get their degrees they are expected to have a job lined up. I have yet to decide whether this is better or worse but they have to miss a lot of class so i'm leaning towards the worse.

That was a lot of reading so I'm going to allow you to take a break, go pee, get some coffee and come back in 3 minutes to finish up.

I i'm going to be tutoring my first student in English on Friday! A little extra pocket money is always welcome.
Speaking of money, I should be getting my first scholarship install at the end of the month! And it'll be both September and Octobers portion so $1,600 here I come!

and on the 30th there is going to be a Halloween party put on by one of the circles I said I wasn't going to join but ended up "joining" anyway. They told me that if I come I have to dress up as Lady GaGa which sounds like something I can pull off so I think i'll bite.

Oh! and someone from my past has popped back into my life!! It's very exciting and I'll talk more about it later :D

Pictures!

Ma and Pa Chitose
They are so cute together!

Me and Ma Chitose at the beautiful
Shakuji-Koen

Me and the lovely Kanako at
Karaoke

I'll put the rest of my pictures on FB so check them out there!

Now, bleach the hell outta my roots!

peace
Jambly