"I'm going to read a book," he says...

I love him <3

JFF (just for fun)

I thought I could get the skyline in the background to show up through the window, but no such luck. I like this picture anyways.


Korean Mountain Dew! I think the soda here is all high fructose corn syrup, not like Japan, the cane sugar utopia, but we liked the Korean logo on it.


hahahaha, the hotel gave us robes. maybe you had to be there, but it was funny. Robes, hah! and they were these half sleeve cocktail robes, lol. Bret went out for ice in it one night!

Bret's Korean Mug Shot

Sometimes when we're lost in foreign countries, it's easy to get upset and frustrated. Koreans don't speak as much English on average as Japanese people, and it was frustrating both getting to the Japanese embassy, and processing our forms. We had to go get passport sized photos, and assumed that we could acquire them at photo booths like they have all over Japan. So we look at a map and thinking that we know where to find the photo place, set off with reasonable expectations of finding it. After what seemed like forever of countless circling through the building, we were feeling the pain of the breakfast we didn't eat and were incredibly frustrated. We asked two or three people for directions and finally found the place to get pictures. It wasn't a self serve photo booth, as we had assumed, but an actual portrait shop tucked between a glasses store and the food court. How were we to know? The nice man inside tried his best to get us to smile for the pictures, but we were far too tired and not in very reasonable moods, so what resulted is what I later dubbed, 'Our Korean Mugshots' because Bret looks like an escaped convict and mine, well... I'm not posting mine because I went a little too heavy on the eyebrow pencil this morning, so I look like a Kentucky beauty pageant contestant and that photo will never see the light of day

Sayonara, old Gaijin-cards

When we left Japan for Korea, they asked us for our foreigner registration cards back. I only brought them along on a whim, and it's a good thing i did. It was a bit sad to part with them, but we'll be back!!! muahaahahahahahahaha

Gyeongbokgung Palace (really fun to type out...)

Today after visiting the Japanese embassey, Bret spotted a palace of sorts on a map inside the visa building that we were really close to, so we decided to go have a look. It was really nice and the palace was impressively intricate. Bret got a cheap audio tour headset and would say what it was saying to me, so it was funny having him trail after me, reciting the contents of the audio tour.

It was a bit sad, though. The tape said that almost all of the buildings on the castle grounds were burned down during one Japanese occupation or another, and it was dissappointing to learn about Japan's rocky past with Korea. All of the buildings were rebuilt, though, in the 1800's, and it was nice strolling the grounds, even if Bret was bombarding me with trivia the entire time :D




During the flag ceremony. The flags used at the palace were so bright and colorful, and I love the way they flow in the wind.

A Lipton Tea Christmas

I saw this at the grocery store and it made me laugh.

Mundane, you may think, yes, but it's been a slow week and sadly this was one of the highlights.

Number Assignment

It takes a lot of paperwork to get assigned a number. Pictured above are our foreigner cards (10 dollars), Passports (100/each), Japanese drivers licenses (don't even get me started), and certificates of eligibility to work in Japan (free, I think. we'll see once we get to Korea for processing). We also have to get new foreigner cards once we get back because our old ones are for Tokyo, and you need to apply for a new one if you move. Swell.

The joys of working in a foreign country.

Just for laughs, here are Bret and my passport photos. His is from 6 (?) years ago and hilarious:


AMERICA

Give me a Break

Sort of self-explanatory, but one of the random things about Japan is the plethera of Kit Kat bar flavors they have here. I was first baffled at a Ginger Ale flavor I saw in a mini mart, and later learned of vegetable flavor and sweet potato flavor. I had to learn more. I went to the Kit Kat Japanese website and though it was a little confusing to navigate, I saw wasabi flavor and some other interesting ones. Some of our American co-workers here in Shikoku told us that finding random flavors is supposed to be like a fun...game type of thing. You bring the weirdest flavor to a friend and make them try it. Ginger Ale was terrible, btw. Thanks a lot, Jannelle!! (jk)

This is What We Moved to Japan to Do :D

Third take of the a random video assignment that we were given during the weekly staff meeting. The first two takes were much funnier but we kept laughing so we couldn't use them. We were asked to stage ourselves somewhere in the office/classrooms and pretend to be doing something random for laughs. I would say I'm pretty lame at looking convincing/good doing something contrived, but Bret's bit is pretty funny. Also, if you're bored by it and don't want to watch the whole thing, I show up at the 1:18 mark and Bret comes in at about 2:30.

Going to Korea, Gonna Eat a Lot of Kim Chee

I'm sad to say Bret and I can sing an almost-complete kim-chee song, using the melody of The Presidents of the United States of America Song. I'll spare you the lyrics...for now

Just thought I'd let the friends and fam know, in case I don't talk to you on skype, we're going to Korea this weekend!!! Our flight leaves early early early Sunday morning, so not really looking forward to that part but the rest should be fun!!!

I'm on the prowl for cheap Christmas lights. A single, 5 ft string of light here is about 30 dollars. We're doing Christmas on a budget and I need some cheer on the cheap, but I doubt I'll find it in Japan. With the quick trip to Korea, hope is not lost!!! Korea has a greater Christian influence, from my limited but general understanding, and I've heard from several Japanese people that things are cheaper in Korea, so duty-free shops prepare!!! I'm coming for yo' lights!!!!! And fake miniture trees! And whatever else I feel like spending 1,000 won on!!!! (1,000 won: approx 1 US dollar)

That's about all I have to say on the subject of going to Korea. I need to make a to-see list pronto, but we're only going to be there for two days, so it's not a a big deal.

There is a gigantic Gandalf statue outside of a movie theater somewhere there that I'd like to see!! I told my Japanese friend about it, leading with, "uhhhh, have you seen Lord of the Rings?" Rio: "Well I mean to one day, but no, no I have not" Me: "Oh boy are you missing out! Anyways, in Korea there's supposed to be an enourmous statue of Gandalf, a main character wizard man from the book/movie. I really want to see it!" Rio: "Hahahahahahaha! WHY??? Do they even know who it is?" Me (slightly shocked): "Uhhhh I hope so!"

Why is LOTR not an international sensation?

Well I'm completely off topic now, but just wanted to let everyone know they can look forward to updates via Seoul starting this Sunday. Waaaahooooo

SRIRACHA

Sriracha (Thai: ศรีราชา [sǐrātɕʰā]) is the generic name for a Thai hot sauce named after the seaside city of Si Racha, in the Chonburi Province of central Thailand, where it was first produced for dishes served at local seafood restaurants. It is also known colloquially as "Rooster Sauce", due to the rooster featured on its label. It is a paste typically made from sun-ripened chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. The puree pronounced /sɪˈrɑːtʃə/ primarily produced by Huy Fong Foods and common in United States and Vietnam is drastically different from the Thai paste from which it takes its name (Wikipedia entry on Sriracha sauce :9 )



We couldn't find this stuff in Japan, so Bret got his mum to send some over. When the box came he went right past the pile of Christmas presents and scooped it out with a crazed look and started cackling and pumping the bottle into the air shouting "YES! YES"

I guess this is what Sriracha deprivation does to a man. It's not pretty. But all is right in the world once more. He's put it on his breakfast, lunch and dinner since it's delivery.

It's Beginning to Feel a Bit Like Christmas!!!

Presents from Bret's family!!!! Yaaaaaaaaayyyy! Shockingly, we haven't opened any. It's so hard to get something in the mail and not open it when it's from home. It's not just stuff, it's stuff from AMERICA. Takes on a whole new novelty. Sigh. I tried to get into the loot, but Bret's disappointed look can make baby unicorns cry, so I'll have to wait.... ::::::SIIIIIIGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH:::::

Mikan

This was our breakfast. Clementines are called 'mikan' here, and we are up to our ears in them these days. They grow all over the island and we are constantly getting free bags of them, either from our boss or from our students. It's fantastic.

I like the train signs here

Please, don't drink and take the train. Go fall over at the beach. Otherwise this might happen:

BOSS

Tommy Lee Jones is an alien sent to Earth to learn about the human race. of course he goes to Japan first. He is impressed by their coffee and subsequently stars in a campaign ad for boss. Here are a couple of commercials




(oh and people here LOVE rock paper scissors. It's their favorite way to settle any dispute)

Hahahaha

SoftBank is probably the biggest cellphone provider. I think there are only two big companies. Anyways, I found a commercial for them that Brad Pitt starred in. Postworthy? I think so.

Around the neighborhood

Today Bret and I went for a walk. Why is this significant? Well from the moment we arrived in Saijo, we have either been at work or sick in bed. I'm talking 14-hours of sleep a night on the weekends and drinking soup as our main recreational activity. I'm still a bit stuffed up, and Bret thinks he may have caught something new from one of his students, but our spirits are a little higher.

We walked from our house to Citizens Forest, which is really more of a park. More pictures from around the city to come, there are a lot of strange and interesting things about it. Thanks for reading!




Beer in a vending machine!












Shrine maintenance

Funny sign next to a telephone pole


Just some wild flowers blooming in the middle of November, no big deal.



Sign at the grocery store :)


Outside of the grocery store. The mountains were smokey looking. Ignore the telephone wires, this isn't a very good angle