Here in Murayama

So today was my day of introductions. I went to every office in the City Hall and Konno-san would say, “This is the new ALT, she came to Murayama yesterday. Her name is Kurea-san. She will introduce herself.” And then I would say, “Watashi wa Kurea desu. America no Montana kara kimashita. Dozo yoroshiku onegai-shimas.” Which means, “I’m Clea. I came from Montana in America. I look forward to working with you or, Very pleased to meet you.”

And then they would take me to the boss’s desk and I would say it again and they would say their name and I would say their name and they would correct me and I’d say it correctly. Sometimes they would say something in Japanese and I would smile and look confused and then they would ask Konno-san if I speak Japanese and he would say, “Chotto, chotto,” which means, sort of, a little. So, I did this in about fifteen different offices and everyone would clap and bow when I was done and I would bow, arigato, thank you.

And then I had a meeting with the mayor. Same thing, I’m Clea from Montana, pleased to meet you and then we sat and he asked me questions about living in Alaska, going to school in Colorado, studying Psychology (everyone seems to think that because I studied psych that I can control or at least read their minds. I wish! Then I wouldn’t have to smile and nod so blankly every time someone talks to me in Japanese…) and they asked what my hobbies are and whether I like Murayama. They were very relieved when I said I like the snow and that I like Japanese food. They said they wouldn’t worry about me because I am strong and like the food. And when I told them my parents met in Japan they were all excited and “Ah so desu ne!!!!” I think all in all it went OK. I wish I had asked the mayor some questions. I just sat there and answered but I should have asked him what he likes best about Murayama, what I should do while I’m here, things like that. Maybe next time. I’m working hard not to beat myself up over mistakes or not doing things as well as I could have. First impressions matter and all that but so does my self-esteem and if I start hating myself for every perceived mistake I’m just going to retreat into a shell and really start sucking it up.

After that I went to set up my bank account and get a cell phone. I had no idea what I was looking for cell-phone wise. I just mostly wanted one that would translate English to Japanese and vice versa. I thought it would all be touch-phones and sweetness and they were in existence but really, really expensive. And they asked me if I would email a lot with my phone and I was like oh hell yes! But then I realized that they call texting emailing (and you have like a seperate email address on your phone to do it with) so that was a little disappointing. But anyways.

Seiko! Who wrote me all the emails before I came and who I shall perpetually think of with an exclamation after her name is my favorite person so far. Her english isn’t as good as Aya’s but she is a little less shy I think. She told me sake is her favorite thing to drink and she wants to drink sake with me. She took me to the supermarket and showed me how to shop and was amazed that I know the names of so many vegetables in Japanese. Thank Ted for that. And as I was getting all of the food to make nabe she said, “There is a very good Japanese meal we eat in the wintertime.” And I said, “Nabe?” and she got so excited that I know it and now I think she’ll love me forever because I speak Japanese-food language very well.

So I got home from work today and just crashed, right into bed at like 5 PM and then woke up at 3 AM, awake, of course. I should have waited but my body and mind were like, OK, enough overwhelming for one day, put us to bed please. So, I can’t get internet in my apartment until February 9th (sounds like an eternity…) but I can use the internet at the Board of Education (where I work) in the meantime. Seiko said the building always had one door open and she showed me the door. But she said it was best to go during the day and not at night because at night it’s dark and cold in the building. But at three in the morning when i was AWAKE AWAKE all I wanted to do was check my email and send emails and write on opendiary so I decided a little cold and darkness were minor obstacles and walked down there. Cold, dark, no problem. Locked door, big problem. Damn! I crept around a little outside to see if I could get a wireless signal but then realized I didn’t want to be discovered and known forever as the creepy foreigner who sits outside of the office building in the middle of the night in the snow using her computer, so I decided to see if I could figure out how to get to the supermarket from my apartment.

So, walking around in the middle of the night, what I noticed is that every block has a vending machine, and every vending machine sells both cold and hot drinks. Hot coffee! Hot tea! While you’re wandering around the streets at 4 AM! This country is genius. Ted told me there was also hot sake in the vending machines but I didn’t see any. Would have been all over that, though. I wonder how it would have looked to someone watching me, checking out every vending machine to see if there was hot sake and I bought like three drinks, a cafe au lait, a chai tea and a hot lemonade. Amazing!

So, they really weren’t kidding about the snow. Everywhere that isn’t a street or a shoveled sidewalk the snow is tits-high and growing. It seriously is blizzarding like 40% of the time and when it’s not it’s still at least sprinkling snow. Everyone keeps exclaiming at how cold it is, though really it’s not bad at all. It seems to hover right around freezing which is pretty great considering that in Montana it was below zero (fahrenheit) for most of the month of November. I was told to expect to be cold in buildings because they aren’t very well insulated but I’ve been hot a lot more often than cold.

Speaking of buildings, my apartment is so awesome. As someone who has spent the last three and a half years wandering around and having no place to call my own, I expected to like whatever space was given me a fair amount no matter what it was like but this place is really nice. And there’s a heated rug in the living room and all Japanese style sitting arrangements on the floor with the low table which has always really appealed to me. I’ve always been a floor-sitter which in America bothered some people so it’s nice to have an apartment that is like completely tailored to that. The toilet seat is heated, man, we are really missing out, nothing better than stumbling to the bathroom in the middle of the night and sitting down on a nice warm toilet seat.

I am feeling up and down a lot, I think that’s really normal. I’m mostly feeling good about being here. A lot better than when I was in the states and just completely terrified and worried about everything. Everyone is so nice and wants me to succeed and be happy so they are really helpful. I went to dinner the first night with Deven (the other American ALT) and Konno-san (who I am pretty sure is my supervisor, he speaks very little English but I like him) and Misawa-san. Misawa-san is my age and she works in the office with us, and also travels to all of the schools teaching computer skills to the students. She likes outdoor activities, was apparently an awesome archer in high school, and wants toclimb Mount Fuji with me. Everyone said, “Misawa wants an American friend!” and she asked me to teach her English and I said definitely, if she’ll teach me Japanese so I think I’ve already made a friend and I like her. Today we are going sledding with Deven and some other ALT’s.

So, in my personal essay I wrote about SUWS and teaching wilderness survival so Seiko told me everyone thought I was going to be huge and strong. Every single woman I’ve met has said, “Oh, your face, it’s so small! Kawaaaaaiiii! Kawaiiii means cute! You are cute! Kawaiiiii!” That might get old pretty quick but I’m just going to keep smiling and saying thank you and bowing about it.

OK, holy shit, so much to tell about and it’s only day three! I am walking around muttering to myself all the time, constant internal/external dialogue so hopefully the writing it down will stop that before I come to be seen as the crazy muttering blonde lady from America.

<3clea