the random thoughts of my mind...

a trip to san francisco

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 18:19:42 +0900

this weekend chiz and i went to “san francisco!” we went to visit her friends naoko, joe and their children alex and elena. and yes... while we never got on a plane we were technically in san francisco. how? we went to the american base, yokota, in fussa.

it’s only about an hour away from the heart of tokyo, but it felt like we traveled over the pacific! naoko and joe were really sweet and took us see all the shopping they can do on the base. they took us to the food court with taco bell, cinnabon, and other american restaurants that you can’t find off base. many of the products they sell are ones you can’t find off the base either because they are shipped from the states. you’d think that would make them quite expensive, but the american military takes care of their people by charging very cheap prices - and no tax!

once we got past the gates, it really felt like we were in america. the roads were bigger and so were the isles in the stores! while they accept japanese yen, most people use us dollars. it was a bit surreal. also, we were technically in san francisco! according to joe, that is the zip code you use to send letters and packages to people on the base.

naoko and joe’s kids were also too cute! they warmed up to me right away and we had a few giggles. i made a paper hat out of a bag for alex that he seemed to enjoy! hopefully we will have the chance to visit “san francisco” again soon!

check out the picts from our fun little trip!

not wrong... just different!

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 21:45:43 +0900

i love living in japan! not only do i get to learn about a new culture, but i get to see mine from a different perspective.

we often have a certain way of doing something - and we don't even consider an alternative way of doing it. it’s not because we think our way is the correct way or even the best way, it's just the only way we know. it’s the way everyone in our culture does it!

that’s when it’s interesting and fun to break out of your world and see everything from a new perspective...

take for example, addresses. have you ever considered that there might be an alternative way to tell someone where you live? well, in japan they don't use the same system that we use in america. their system isn't better or worse, it’s just different.

have you ever thought about paying to see a doctor when you’re healthy? that’s silly, right? well, in china many doctors actually charge you a fee when you are healthy. then, when you get sick, you simply stop paying until they get you healthy again! amazing, right? doctors incentivized to keep you healthy! now that’s health care!

i recently saw an interesting video from derek sivers who was speaking at a ted conference. he discusses these exact issues with very easy to understand visual aids. i think the video is really great and explains my points in very simple language.

i love changing my perspective on the world and seeing it differently. it makes me realize that there is not one way of doing things... and even though i tend to think that people are wrong if they don’t do things the way i do, i always try to tell myself that it’s not wrong, it's just different!

snow!

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 22:58:43 +0900

last night it snowed in tokyo! it very rarely snows here. it maybe flurries once a year, and it’s more like a slight dusting than actual snow. last night though, it was coming down pretty good, and it was sticking on the ground too! it was the most snow i’ve ever seen in tokyo!

this morning i got to rock my boots and slush around in what was left. by this evening though, most of it was gone. i can’t say that i miss the big heaps of snow i lived with in new york, but it was nice to have a little taste today!

ask tokyobilly

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:52:00 +0900

a few weeks ago, i got an email from my aunt. she is a teacher and told me that the 3rd grade class in her school was learning about japan. she asked if i wouldn’t mind helping the teacher by answering some questions the children have about living in japan. of course i was happy to help!

it was a lot of fun, and the kids asked some interesting questions! so, i thought i would share them here. i have put their questions and my answers below.

you don’t have to be in 3rd grade though, to have questions! so, if you have any additional questions for me, just send them along! i’ll try to answer with the best of my ability!

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Dear Third Grade Students of PS1,

Thank you so much for the questions! I hope that you guys enjoyed learning about Japan, and I hope to tell you some more about it with the answers to your questions.

1. What do you enjoy most about life in Japan?

I enjoy living somewhere that is different from where I was born and raised. I enjoy learning about a different culture everyday, and through that, learning about myself and my own culture. I also love the food!

2. What are the different types of food you eat? Do you like the food?

I love to eat, and enjoy trying all different types of food! I happen to think that Japan has some of the best food in the world! My favorite is sushi! As you know "sushi" is made from vineger rice and raw fish. Even though people here like to eat some things raw, such as beef, horse meat, octopus, etc., it does not mean you can eat anything uncooked. The food has to very fresh. There are these amazing restaurants that have conveyor belts which move the sushi around the restaurant! All you have to do is to grab the plate and eat! Each plate has its own color, which shows how much each plate costs. You can also calculate how much it will cost while eating. These restaurants are called "kaiten zushi." I love them because they are cheap and delicious! Some of my other favorites are udon noodles, tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet), soba noodles, tempura, gyoza, onigiri (rice ball), natto (fermented soy beans) and of course the rice! it's just better here! ;)

3. How do you communicate with people? Did you learn Japanese?

I have learned some basic Japanese, but sadly can't really speak it very well at all. It's very difficult to learn a new language when you are an adult, so I would suggest you all try hard to learn at least one other language now! I am able to get by with my basic japanese skills and luckily, many people in Tokyo know some basic English too. In Tokyo, most of streets signs are both in Japanese and English. Even though it is a big city, you can ask directions at the police officers at police boxes on the streets for directions. Also, I teach English in Tokyo, so much of my life is in English as well. So that is mostly how I communicate.

4. What are some things you do fun?

Tokyo is very similar to other big cities in the world. You can do many of the same things that you do for fun here, like bowling, playing baseball, DS or playing video games.  I also like to sing karaoke! Unlike in America, where you have to get up on a stage to sing in front of other people, in Japan, you rent a room with your friends and get to sing songs together! It's lots of fun!!!

5. What are some games or toys children play?

Japanese children are just like you! They enjoy many of the same games that I'm sure you play. In the school yard they play versions of tag and relay races. They also enjoy video games on the computer, playstation, DS or Wii!  DS is very popular for both kids and adults. You can see people playing DS everywhere in public. Wii is very popular with adults, especially Wiil Fit. Also there are places called "game centers" packed with lots of TV/computer games. Even if people do not have a TV or a computer game, they can go there with friends and play and have fun together. In addition, there are also machines called "print club." These are like big photo booths where you can take pictures with your friends and change the backgrounds and draw on the photos after with digital editing software. It's really fun to create funny photos with your friends and then print them out and put them on your notebooks or cell phones!

6. Do you sleep on a futon?

Many people in Japan do sleep on futons, but I do not. It is quite common to sleep on a futon at night and then fold it up and store it away in the closet until bedtime again. I have many of my friends, both foreign and Japanese who sleep on futons, but personally I like a bed. Beds are becoming popular in Japan though, and many people use them as well.

7. What types of animals do you see?

Tokyo is a huge modern city, so there are no animals in the streets except for some cats or crows. Of course I am always seeing people walking their dogs too!

8.What do you miss most about life in the United States?

I miss my family and friends in America. While I enjoy my life here, at times it can be difficult living so far away from everyone. I also miss some food like cheap tacos, burritos, and a good slice of ny pizza!

9. When you eat do you sit on a tatami mat?

No. Many houses in Japan have tatami rooms, but mine does not. While tatami floors are traditional, most modern places don't have them. I do take my shoes off when entering my house though, and often sit on the floor to eat, but not on tatami. In public places, if you go to Japanese restaurants, there are usually tatami rooms to enjoy your meal as if you were at home.

10. Did you make many friends there?

Yes! I have been very lucky to meet some amazing people while I have been living here. I have made friends with both Japanese people and other foreigners who are also living in Tokyo. Living in a foreign country is an amazing experience and I hope that you all have the chance to do it. Even if you don't though, I hope that you all get the chance to travel outside of America! Right now you are learning about all the fun, different, and interesting places that you can go and visit around the world!

taste test - kit kat and pepsi

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:42:42 +0900

here is the next installment in the series of taste tests. my friend marc joined me as we tried some new and very interesting kit kat flavors (strawberry cheesecake, bean paste, soy sauce, and sports drink!) we also checked out a pepsi flavored with red beans... thank you to chiz for filming the video and finding many of the odd kit kats we tried!

check out our taste test video to see what we thought!