Saturday, October 06, 2007

On Arriving in Nagoya


I have left my beautiful family behind. My parents saw me off at the airport what seems like yesterday, but I think it's technically 2 days ago thanks to the horrific 19 hour travel with Northwest Airlines. Do not fly with Northwest Airlines. I don't care how much money you save.

I was met at the airport by a very wonderful man by the name of Scott. He helped me to the hotel I'll be living at for the next 2 weeks or more. On the train over I had the sweetest "hello!" from an elderly salaryman who right before getting off at his stop, looked Scott and I in the eyes and said "うるさい、お前は!" (You're f*cking noisy!), or something to that very effect. It made me feel so welcome.
Occasions like that are something I'll have to get used to. The staring, crude comments, stupid comments etc. That's life for a foreigner anywhere really.

So without further ado, my beautiful and surprisingly roomy... room at the Kanayama hotel:

The bathroom with the traditional deep, deep tub (I love Japanese tubs. You can cover yourself up to your neck with scalding hot water):
The cloudy view outside:

So today I plan on just wandering about and picking up an iron and lint roller for my suits. Nothing special really.

Also, I'm going to try and include this little section whenever relevant: "What I have learned from Japanese television" in which I watch the travesty that is Japanese television and spread my learnings on to you.
What I have learned from Japanese television today:
When listening to your dead parents' voices on a tape and it stops playing, do not rip it out of the tape player, causing the tape to tear. If you do so, you will fall sick from depression, be bed-ridden and unconscious for at least a day and almost die.

10 comments:

Gorrozolla said...

I am going to put up the video I took of Japanese TV. I have two which are very funny. In one, Japanese celebrities are hurled into Scalding hot water, and in the other, they have ice shot at them from a hose while they stand in their underwear :)

Anonymous said...

お前みたいなうるさい外人はマイ・ジャパンを汚している!!

That bath is なつかしい though.

Anonymous said...

お前みたいなかわいい外人は早く福岡に来い!!

Im glad you are safely in nagoya now..your room looks pretty nice and comfortable with the very clean bathroom.

aitai
fumi

Chris WJ Charlton said...

Marc: Where is this video? I've been waiting so long!

Hane: 失礼します。The bath is the BEST!

Fumi: アイラッブユー!

Chris said...

Hahaha. The deep tub rocks, I agree!

What was he saying? You're so nosy?! What?!

I am fully in support of this Japanese TV thing.

Also, what was so wrong with your flight?

Anonymous said...

Glad you arrived safely and that your hotel room is nice! Just make sure you don't fall asleep in the tub!
What is a salaryman, and why was he so rude to you? I thought Japanese people had a reputation for being polite!
I see nothing wrong with going crazy with grief and into depression and unconscious when you can't hear your deceased mother's voice anymore. You are learning good lessons from the Japanese tv my son!!
Miss you!
Love Mum

Chris WJ Charlton said...

Chris - He was saying "you're so noisy" because we were(we weren't) talking loudly.
Everything about the flight sucked. Crap food, service, small small seats, an old projector rather than tvs on the back of the seats, etc.

Mom - A salaryman is just a regular working guy who dresses in a suit and works 8am-8pm or so, and they often get drunk in public because they're so stressed and depressed from work. The Japanese ARE polite, on the outside. The inside they're just as selfish and rude as the rest of us! Alcohol tends to bring that out in many people :(
Ps; I miss you and the family!

Anonymous said...

Hey there, Hi there, Ho there,
It was amazing video conferencing with you this a.m, in your p.m.
It was almost like you were in the room...we should put you up on the large screen next time. Looking forward to many such communications. Hope day 2 of training went well. You'll be great!
Love
Anonymous Dad

Gorrozolla said...

Who the heck is this strange anonymous dad who knows so much about you? I wish I had an anonymous dad. My real dad's always trying to "spend time with me" and "do father-son things with me" its really weirding me out.

Anonymous said...

hi Chris ..HERE WE ARE .... GRAMS , ME ,and ABBIE ...reading your BLOG ,SURE IS FUN HOPING YOU ARE ALSO ENJOYING YOUR TIME SO FAR, Abbie WANTS TO SAY HELLO .....

*... Kon'nichiwa Chris!(did I spell that right?!) glad to hear you arrived safely & hope you are doing well. your pictures are rad!
xxo... abbie*

...here's gramz...
Hi CHRIS lOVE TO you,Hope your teaching goes well,We are thinking of you,Take care Lots of love Grams xo ....Gramps back to bid YOU best wishes , good luck and great sketching... LOVE GRAMPS