2008/02/09

A Note from Okayama

Here is a letter I wrote to my dad. Hi dad, ah you know how international keyboards are. i guess i hit a button that turns it into a japanese font of english letters, unreadable. but anywayi had my first day of training and it went great! everything here is really convenient as hell. cant explain it hardly. this net cafe is cheap and swanky and has jazz playing, a huge library of books to read, they will bring me various foods if i want etc. i have found some great izakaya restaurants, those quaint kind of mom and pop pubs and they also serve ridiculously good food. i havent had a bad bite since i got here. although i cant find an apostrophe. tonight i had kara-age, which is really tasty fried chicken with mayo, but the english barely does it justice. it just melts in your mouth. at lunch i had eel, grilled fresh and properly, not like the kind that comes in a bag frozen. at the train station i was able to buy a lunchbox of sushi wrapped in cherry blossom leaves, also outstanding. took the bullet train from the airport to get here. my own computer cant connect to the internet yet so i cant send pictures yet, but here is kind of like a japanese version of manhattan i guess. kind of like times square but suddenly there are old fashioned streets with nice architecture, and its kind of divided into districts depending on what kind of atmosphere you want to walk in. japanese language is coming back to me as i am using it every day for all kinds of transactions. ordering food, finding a place to buy a fingernail clipper, and so on. it is really remarkable already, and i think as i get to takamatsu and more in the countryside area i will like it even more. its not too hectic here, not overwhelming, but i still like the countryside. i have the day off tomorrow so my friend is coming to visit, except she might be coming down with a cold, so we:ll see about it tomorrow. then starting monday the training will be more rigorous, though the trainer is a really nice guy, ironically named the same as my younger brother. wearing a suit for this job gives me a real sense of pride. actually having this job does too. i feel like some kind of international specialist,and according to my visa stamp, that is what i am considered here, so i feel really good emotionally as well. i do miss everyone a little already, but all i can say is you guys gotta get your butt over here some time. it rules! tell me whats new on your side. id like to read more from you too. talk soon!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Summer Breeze! I hope you are having great time in Okayama!
You might try Okayama International Villa, when you have chance!

http://www.harenet.ne.jp/villa/

Anonymous said...

Ah, I just realized that the title said you were in Okayama! >>; Isn't it lovely there? I was in Fujita, the mountain region.

-Larissa