So I spent my first day of the weekend just walking around

Yep. Just picked a direction and walked. If I saw something interesting I would walk towards it. If it got boring, I would just turn around. I will def be getting in shape and losing weight if I keep this up. It was like walking around disneyland all day!

Here are the pics!

A summary of my week in training

So this week kicked my BUTT. After my day or two of free time, Monday began training.

Monday was a lot lot lot of note taking.

I said a lot right?

Ok now times by 6 days, 4 mock lessons, 2 with REAL students and you know my training week.

My first mock lesson SUCKED because hardly prepared! I had to go to work 3 hours later than the previous days so I screwed around talking to friends online all morning. Stopped that a bit late and started prepping my lesson after, which was overwhelming. I realized there that I had underestimated my task. When it came time for my lesson, I was overly nervous, which was soooo not me, because I was unprepared for it. So afterwards my feedback was constructive and necesary. I felt like crap before, during, and after that because I did something uncharacteristic for me and didn't prepare. The last time I swore.

Next lesson was with real students. It went pretty decent with some help in the background from my trainer. The students had fun, they felt like they learned something and I got my confidence back. I now know structure and timing , just need to hammer out bugs.

The next lessons were done with fellow trainees and trainers, and those just kept getting better and better! I definitely am getting the hang of it!

My final lesson with FOUR students went awesome!!! Yeah I had some things here and there to fix, but the students felt comfortable, they had fun, and they learned how to use some important conversational points, thanks to Tommy sensei. Hey I can get used to that...

Anyways, on to the pics. Enjoy and if you have questions email me and ask!

This is our group going out to eat dinner around the corner to celebrate the end of training.
http://flickr.com/photos/60805142@N00/sets/72157594200371181/


This was my friend Neil and I eating with some random dude from Okinawa. We had an awesome broken English/Japanese conversation, but it was def all love going on!
http://flickr.com/photos/60805142@N00/sets/72157594200376512/

I am still alive, just busy with training.

I have been working like made making lessons and doing them! This stuff is TOUGH! But tomorrow is the last day and I am going out to celebrate by going to the loudest place in Sakae and just goin all out. I have deserved it! I will have details once I have a decent amount of time to just sit down and type it, when my internet isn't going all buck wild!

Just found out hotel I am staying at is...

...in the red light district. Yeah...

All I had to do was read the signs too, they are all in katakana!

Wild night, for them, not us

Gonna make this quick as I have to go get rdy for the day. But we wanted to go to a beer garden that our trainer told us about so we tried finding it and couldn't in the area he pointed to. We saw some cops standing around looking at us and asked them where it was, and they showed us it was across the street behind us.

We head to said building and try to figure out where we go. The hall had 6 elevators and they opened up at dif times to crowds of drunk, loud Japanese men and women. We were in the right place. We go upstairs and when the door opens up, the place looks like it is a mad house with tons of drunk people yelling, singing and laughing. Unfortunately it was Nisen Happyaku en (2800 yen, just under 28 bucks) for 50 minutes, as they were closing soon. We decided that wouldn't be good and found somewhere else to go eat.

We looked around the station going up and down 4 flights of TOO MANY stairs, and decided to try to find a CoCo Ichi Ban which was near our hotel. We couldn't find it immediately so I asked a bunch of drunk Japanese men we saw and they WALKED US 4 BLOCKS TO GET THERE!!! How is THAT for hospitality! I spoke to them in Japanese and they got comfy speaking to me in English. One guy went to San Diego and was telling me he liked California a lot and wants to go back, that convo was in English. Another guy told me he was from Tokyo and only visiting Nagoya for a bit. We talked about areas in Tokyo that we like and that I have been to, that convo was in Japanese. We made it to the restaraunt and ate, afterwards I went home to answer emails and sleep, like I will be doing every night.

There is the quick version of my first night after training. Training details to come later.

My first full day in Nagoya city

It was hecka eventful too!!!

Woke up in the morn and made a few phone calls to family and loved ones, and then went out and got some pancakes at McDonalds. Until I find something better, this will be done every morning as it is only 300 yen. AfterI ate, I came back to my hotel (Daiichi Fuji Hotel) and called my friends in Japan to let them know I am here and see if we can meet up eventually. Saki's phone kept ringing and ringing, Taka was drunk sleeping, and Atsushi (who I met on MySpace) was ready to pick me up at my hotel in about an hour and a half. Fine I have time.

I went to Nagoya Station, trying to figure out where the bank was so I could transfer money to yen. I looked all throughout the VERY BUSY station only to just see myself tired, and come up empty handed. I need to find that place soon with all of these US dollars on me, and my yen supply dwindling. I give up and go back to meet a Atsushi outside my hotel. Is he going to be driving the R32 Skyhline GTR, or the Integra. I hope the Skyline...

IT'S THE SKYLINE!!! I was sitting in front of my hotel waiting and recording video of life happening outside, when I hear the roar of the engine, sound of turbos and a blow off valve, and a Skyline cruising by me passing up the hotel. After a minute he comes back around and I am officially starting my first ride in a Skyline. For the whole day there was too much traffic for him to really open up, but he did do so once or twice and it THREW me back into my seat, I almost cried, it was so beautiful.

He asked me what I wanted to do and I just said give me the "New person to Nagoya tour", which started at Nagoya Castle. Now here is a bit of a disclaimer, warning, whatever. This is the Japanese summer I think, which means hot and muggy. So here in Nagoya, it is completely cloud covered and overcast, 85% degrees and feels like you are in a sauna, so any pictures you see of me, I may be very shiny, that isn't normal I swear! We drive around for about 10 minutes and get to the parking structure of the castle which is about 2 lvls underground, like a lot of things in Japan so far. We head up to the castle grounds and Atsushi and I buy our tickets, Gohyaku en I believe (500 yen, you will learn Japanese with me if you keep reading this), and they give me a pamplet in English, how cute. Atsushi gives me his personal tour of the castle grounds and the castle itself. Now this castle is interesting. It is very important in Japanese history, but unfortunately, was destroyed in the past, and rebuilt into a museum. So you look outside and see this majestic castle, then go inside and it feels like any other museum.

The inside has a lot of art, items, and information on life back in the times when this castle served it's purpose. They had a cool thing with 3 mock up guys pulling a block with wheels under it, to show you how they were able to build such a castle with minimal man power. You were even able to pull the same rope they were grabbing and pull the block and column they stood on. The power of hydraulics and a little pulley. On the top floor is an observatory deck that lets you see Nagoya from a HIGH vantage point at all 4 sides of the deck. Now remember that 85% humid overcast weather I mentioned? You took note of that? Now add HEAVY rain to that equation. When we got up there it was absolutely POURING rain down on the sometimes unprepared visitors who were outside, I couldn't stop laughing though at all of the chaos that was going on with people down there, it was great!

When we were done with inside the castle, we went out for ice cream and I got to see a cute cat with a weird short tail, like somone cut it off or something. We were about to exit when I wanted a good pic of the castle before I left, which I got, then Atsushi took a pic of me with it in the background, which you will see in the pics. Some random girl saw that and asked us if we wanted her to take a picture of the both of us, and she did, you will also see that in there. So after all of the pictures we headed out of the castle to go somewhere else. On our way out we ran into the 3 girls who are training with me this week, Laura, Elspeth (I think) and Becky. They asked me earlier if I wanted to go with them to the castle and I knew I had plans with Atsushi so I declined, but I said I may see them there, so here it was, I saw them. I told them to have fun and make sure they see everything and we all made plans to meet for dinner.

As we left the castle grounds, we saw a bunch of flags of some sort with TOO much Kanji for me to read, but Atsushi told me, it was for sumo wrestlers. Now I was told the sumo tournament started this day inmy very own backyard here in Nagoya, so that was kinda cool. Now I have watched sumo on TV before and seen a few documentaries on Americans who come here to do sumo, and they always show them rolling around in these cool vans. Now wouldn't you know, we come up to a section with about 100 people standing around with cameras, and what rolls up, 2 or 3 of those cool vans with sumo wrestlers in them!!! We stood around for about 3 minutes to watch them from afar while the crowd went wild.

We eventually made it back to the car after getting lost a little and decided to go get food. I mentioned I loved Japanese curry so Atsushi took me to CoCo Ichi Ban, a chain of curry places. This ride was about 35 mins or so, but I got to have more time in the kick ass Skyline, and he opened it up on the way there, which will always be remembered. Driving in a car in Japan, when you are used to driving on the other side of road and being a passenger on the right, is goint to take some getting used to. I keep thinking he is going to go the wrong way and hit oncomming traffic. He never did though, amazing!

We get to CoCo Ichi Ban eventually and I order Tonkatsu curry, with a regular amount of rice (there are about 8 options on rice amount) and regular heat (there is 1 - 10 scales of heat. 6 - 10 have disclaimers) and it was totemo oishii (very delicious). Afterwards we headed out and went to the Toyota Automobile Museum, which was about a 20 minute ride. This place had some VERY old Toyotas and even some other Japanese and foreign cars (now that I am in Japan, American cars are foreign). We spent a good 2 hours or so in here snapping pics and laughing at sports cars with 110 HP, and family cars with 9.7 horsepower. Look at the pics for a good idea of what went on in there.

After this we were thirsty and I was getting tired so we headed for the conbini to grab a drink. (conbini is a convenience store, which have everything and are everywhere here) Something kinda funny happened when Atsushi and I bought our drinks. The girl at the counter sold him his drink and was done, but when I bought mine, she offered me a bag to go with it. Atsushi was pretending to feel hurt because they didnt offer him a bag too. Poor Atsushi!

It was getting close to the time of dinner with the girls so we headed to Atsushi's house to drop off his car. This was cool because he had his black Integra parked outside of his house, which was next door to his dad's, a dentist, office. How convenient! We walked from his house to the subway station and he thought he should have moved his car into the garage in case his dad needed space, so I stayed at the station and he ran back to do that. When he arrived we rushed on the train so we wouldn't be late, but we got ON the train at the same time we agreed to meet the girls for dinner. We were about 6 stops from the Nagoya station stop where my hotel was near and the meeting place of said dinner plans. We got there at about 6:30, just to see the girls walking around the opposing corner, we were all late. Since Atsushi and I ate earlier, we weren't hungry and the girls decided on Pepper Lunch, which seemed like a good dinner. Atsushi and I had beer for dinner, him, 1, me 2.

During dinner it was kind of funny. The girls would have a convo with me in English and I would slow it down and mix it with what Japanese I know so Atsushi could understand and follow. Then we all just had our own seperate conversations an Atsushi made me practice my Japanese, so I could one day speak to him in ONLY Japanese, which will be great for me to achieve, I now have my first goal. After dinner was done, Atsushi and I said ou good byes and thanks and I headed to my hotel to relax, do homework for my first day of training, and write and answer some emails. Today was definitely a great day. More will follow I am sure.

Anyways, here are the pics of this day:
http://flickr.com/photos/60805142@N00/sets/72157594192644670/

You can also find my other pictures of the flight day to Japan if look around.

So I am officially in Japan now...

...and boy is it hot! I landed in Nagoya after a connection from Narita, and I just FELT the humidity!!! My trainer from Aeon met with me, and we headed to Nagoya station via train and arrived after an hour or so. It was so surreal being on the train towards my hotel for next 8 days or so. It didn't officially settle in until that moment. When I got off the train, the familiar feeling of having hundreds of Japanese people bustling about the station came back t me.

Got to my hotel and met 2 of my fellow teachers in training, one from Hawaii, the other from Wales, both cool people. I am on the 7th floor of this hotel, and it is fun just looking out the window, even though I don't have the view people would have across the hall. Only probs I have run into so far, is not having a 3 prong adapter for my laptop, because right now it is plugged in, but not grounded, which scares me. I am making a trip to Bic Camera in a bit to buy said part. I also want some breakfast!

Anyways I am hungry and ready to put up a few pics. Check them out...
My hotel suite.















Luxury bathroom














Pretty cool golf course near Narita landing














OH NO! SNAKE ON A PLANE!!!

Had my last day at work, day before my birthday, and a week to board the plane!

Wow, it is starting to hit me finally.

Yesterday was my last day at JoshuaCasey and we all went out to D&B for some food and drinks! It was awesome fun! Got a little buzzed, ate some good food, took some pics with people I may never see again, played some games, all together a great night.

Now I have business to take care of before I go. Gotta fix then sell the 240. Gotta buy some casual clothes and thermals. Gotta make a Costco run to stock up on hygeine stuff. Would be nice to start packing and get some things shipped over. The website is almost done, and I am hoping to finish it this weekend. That money is SOOO needed now, because I severely mismanaged myself with all of these going away parties.

Next week I get to go do fondue for my second time, I love that stuff! Will probably kick it with some friends on the 4th, then go see Pirates of the Caribbean with some friends and strangers. I am just amazed at how awesome the people I meet are, and will definitely be missing them on my way to Japan. I have been shown such a good time in the past 2 months, I will definitely have a sensation of missing something now, and someone...

1 more month!!! OHHHH MAN!

1 Month from today, I board a Northwest Airlines flight from LAX to Narita, then to Nagoya Chubu Centrair Intl airport to my new home! I will be living on my own for the first time away from my mom and grandma, who I will miss the most over anyone while in Japan! My good friends and acquaintances will all be missed to different degrees too!

3 weeks from today I leave my friends, wait, "FAMILY" at JoshuaCasey corporate training!

And soon I need to put my car up for sale. This thing cost me a girlfriend, so I am gonna sell it for a profit. If anyone knows anyone who wants a manual 1995 240SX, base model, stock minus an Injen intake and suspension (lowered, not cut springs) for $5,500, holla at me. It has 144,000 miles on it, NEARLY spotless exterior, excellent paint job, with age dings on it, interior is a bit un-perfect as far as the cloth is concerned, but nothing some soap and water can't fix. Has an aftermarket stereo head unit with CD player. AC blows cold, gears shift great, perfect start for someone wanting to build a drift car (this is the best car for it in my opinion because of the light weight). Remember who to get in touch with if you want it.

Damn a month to go... So much to do, so much I have done. Bought 3 more suits and some nice shoes in Hollywood from a wholesaler this weekend, which makes all trip related purchases DONE! I have to write my new employer a letter introducing myself which I will do tonight, pick up my work visa from the Japanese consulate in Los Angeles tomorrow, and continue to party and kick it with the true homies before I go. Thanks to Norm, I will be going to the Hollywood bowl with him, Eric and Esther on June 23rd to see Santana and the Blue Man Group, sounds like fun, but the most important part will be time with the homies! I think I need to start packing for the move, I think I have no clue what to bring besides the obvious, and am scared I will forget something important when it is too late. But time will get me in order for the packing project. All I know is I am bringing my 100+ DVDs, Xbox360, laptop, guitar, ipod, camera and camcorder. I know I am missing something else that is NECESARY!

It kinda sucks cuz now that I am leaving I have had a chance to hang with Kelly and her friends, Tim and his family, plus old school friends, plus a few new ones, and I have been having too much fun drinking and partying with you all, you guys are giving me something to miss while in Japan!

The last ending before I go will be me leaving my company of 4 years in 3 weeks. Wow... Although I hate everyone at different times of the year, I love everyone there at the end of the day, well not EVERY day. There are great days and horrible days at the blame of everyone, myself included, but the office personality is unlike NO OTHER, I swear! We are WAY too comfortable with each other there, and I KNOW things won't be 10% of the fun I have had at JoshuaCasey while in Japan, it will be TOO conservative there, plus my favorite fellow Liberal-Democrat Kelly won't be around! Who am I gonna hate Bush and co. with while in Japan? I KNOW I won't find a freestyle rap partner, fellow retard imitator, hot girl spotter, gas war vet like Eric in Japan. Who can I spit Spanish to like I do with Rogelio? Who will I torment and make laugh at the SAME TIME like Christy? Who will shout "TOMMY!!!" when they need help, only to have me solve it in under a minute like Cari and Margie? Wait, and Kelly, Christy, Rogelio, Eric...YOU GUYS ARE SCREWED! JK! It is funny because this is the second time I have left the company, just this time, is definitely permanent, and I am not going from them in Anaheim, to Interplay in Irvine, no quick phone calls to fix computer problems anymore.

I am going to TRY to buy a Ventrilo server to keep in touch with any friends who wanna talk to me whenever we are online at the same time for free via our computers. I will send out a bulletin if that happens.

To top it all off, I will be starting ANOTHER website soon, let's see if I can get that done before I leave...I am a glutton for punishment I swear! It wont stop me from partying more though, I promise!

2 MORE MONTHS!!!

Today marks 2 months to the day that I leave to Japan and I couldn't be happier!

I am preparing for my Japanese class final tomorrow, E3 Wednesday - Friday (which I am SO excited for also, 7 years in a row and this may be my last one...), lot of parties coming up to go have fun at, and life is still very good. I am glad I am healthy and happy right now, the time is almost here, what I feel like I was born for, to live in and experience Japan from the inside. Very exciting...