Q and A (Part Three)

How much does eating out cost? (McD's, cooking in, a nice meal)?

McD's is pretty much the same price as in the US. Maybe a tad more expensive. Groceries here seem more expensive. Fruits are expensive, cheese is expensive. The fruit has to be of excellent quality. Way better quality than we see in the US. Many restaurants are very fairly priced, so sometimes it is cheaper to eat out. Expiration dates are more strict in Japan, food is usually good for a few more days after the expiry date. Grocery stores tend to mark down prices of items that are getting close to their expiration date.


Do you think getting the car was worth it? How often do you drive?

Absolutely. I drive pretty much everyday. The drive to school takes about 10 minutes. It would be an hour to walk. So if nothing else, I save a lot of time on the commute. I live in a decent sized city (comparable to Aurora) but I live on the outskirts, so it's nice to be able to drive in to town and meet up with the other ALTs near me. Plus, when it rains here, it POURS. It's nice to have a car for those occasions. (Which I hear is pretty much everyday in March-May.)


Do you know all your student's names? Do you have a favorite? Is there one student that is more annoying to you than the others?

Heck no. I have 124 students, and their names all sound foreign to me. So in addition to putting a name with a face, I have to remember the names to begin with. No Mike, Ann, Bobby, etc. I REALLY hate to say "everyone looks the same". Because in reality, they don't. HOWEVER. In Japanese public high schools, all the students wear the same uniform. They also have to have their hair cut a certain way, and it is not allowed to be colored. Their ears can't be pierced. So there aren't a lot of distinguishing factors when students are in school. I do know some names and have gotten to know some students better because they make more of an effort to talk to me. I guess you could say they are my favorites. I don't really have a least favorite student, however I definitely have a least favorite class.


What has been the most surprising thing about Japan that you have encountered so far?

I absolutely love ancient Japanese culture. Watching old samurai movies, oragami, the architecture, just how everything looked and felt. So I had the naive impression that this is how I would find Japan. Well, Japan is one of the most modern countries on earth. (Also one of the least modern, but I'll get to that in a second.) There is a touch of ancient Japan in everyday life, however Japan is very...cutesy. The girls are ridiculously girly. The guys...are ridiculously girly. When I first got here, I was very careful not to wear anything that revealed too much skin. Then I saw what the youth of Sasebo was wearing. And I blushed. Japan is a very interesting mix of old and new.


In what regard do you wish the US was more like Japan and/or vice versa?

Japan's customer service is superb. They are very patient, kind, friendly, and go out of their way to help you. Here's an example. One of my friends, a JET from Ireland, left her bank book in a izakaya (bar/pub) in Kyoto. Kyoto is to Sasebo as LA is to Denver. The pub mailed her bank book back to her. No charge. I wish we had the same customer service in the US. Japan also has a ridiculously low crime rate. But, Japan has a process for everything. It was a real pain when I first got here. First, I need to get this paper, apply for my car, get another paper, etc. If any of these steps is missed, or out of place, everyone freaks out, and calls a supervisor. Who calls their supervisor. It seems like no one here likes to think for themselves. Even if something makes logical sense to you or I, if it's different from standard procedure, forget it. The thing is, every company's standard procedure is different. Things are much easier in the US.

These skis have been here since I arrived at my apartment. They are still chilling outside today. Japan, the land of very little crime.