Andrew and Kathleen

Sat, 31 Aug 2002

Fujisawa

Went to Fujisawa
English-speaking guy on train
Japanese girls trying to be black
Harassing guy behind counter at Tulley's Coffee
Lunch at little ramen place
Park
Not a lot of green for a park!
Kannai
Mall
Nice, tree-lined, like Elizabeth Mall
Yokohama Curry Museum
Mostly restaurants
Met Jennifer and Dale at Yokohama Stadium
Tickets sold out
Went back to their place to watch the game (13-2!)
Caught bus home (virtually door to door)

posted at: 20:20 | permanent link to this entry

Fri, 30 Aug 2002

New Bank Account

Opened bank account using Japanese for 'bank account'
Now called Anadaru Baton
Walked around Shin-Yokohama trying to find a Citibank
Met Kathleen at home, went to Yokohama
ATM at More's at West Exit of Yokohama station
Bookstore at Sogo
Gaijin Blooper book
Baby Elephant's Penis
Irasshai!
Priest - God is a turtle, it will cook you noodles

posted at: 17:20 | permanent link to this entry

Thu, 29 Aug 2002

Nakayama

Very hot and humid
Muzak at Doutour (Japan is the land of muzak)
Kid slapped in face at Nakayama station by mother
Hiroshima exhibit at Midori-ku offices
Pan Pacs
Token footage of victorious Americans, most focus on Thorpe!
Brief shot of third-placed Japanese, back to Thorpe
News
Typhoon 15 upon southern islands, Okinawa (where Matt Magain is holidaying!)

posted at: 20:15 | permanent link to this entry

Wed, 28 Aug 2002

Job Interviews

Very hot and humid
Sweating whilst waiting for the bus
Interview in Ebisu
Company didn't have a clue
Questions
"How would you make the better place?"
"On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate yourself as a teacher?"
"If someone jumped under the train on the way to work, what would you do?"
Job offer from ECC
News
That bloody seal!!
80% of homes have air-conditioning (Yomiuri Times)

posted at: 20:00 | permanent link to this entry

Tue, 27 Aug 2002

Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum

Littlies doing kendo
Ramen Museum
Large line before opened
Bowl display
"Don't make light of these bowls!"
Cup noodle display
Ramen shops downstairs
Large vats of stock
Yelling chefs "Blah blah blah HEY!"
Lovely ramen!
Huge line after we left - everyone goes for the restaurants, not the displays
News
Tama-chan in a river near Yokohama - expert expresses concern, since so polluted. Crowds line the shores, yelling out to the seal, while a ice cream vendor pulls up on his bike. Tama-chan ignores them. Prop - map of the area with a little Tama-chan head on a stick used as the pointer

posted at: 20:00 | permanent link to this entry

Mon, 26 Aug 2002

Kathleen's New Bike

Kathleen's bike arrived
Ride to Nakayama, back via the canal path
Very hot and sweaty afterwards
News
Electioneering - candidate with five microphones attached together

posted at: 20:15 | permanent link to this entry

Sun, 25 Aug 2002

Yamashite Park

Meet at Yamashite Park
Lunch
Pigeons swooping and shitting
Kids crying and hiding behind mum while dad feeds pigeons
Smap! drink
Let's listen! Let's drink! Smap!
Anticipation better than actual
Woman: "Where you from?" Kathleen: "Australia" Woman: "Ah! Koala! You look like a koala!"
Inserting money into vending machine while guy is stocking it
Walk to food place, showground
Wave to kids on ferris wheel
Can eat the beef (Australian), but not the mince, since it is a little suspect
News
Pan-pacs - Sorpee being interviewed with a microphone with a fluffy animal attached

posted at: 21:15 | permanent link to this entry

Sat, 24 Aug 2002

ECC Interview

Interview with ECC in Shinjuku
Nathan the Aussie from the Gold Coast
Prepare kids lesson (I had 'Shapes and Colours')
Dinner at ramen place
Gatchaman late at night on tv

posted at: 20:00 | permanent link to this entry

Fri, 23 Aug 2002

Nakayama

Very cool, light drizzle, grey skies all day
Went to Nakayama for bike, recycle shop
Donquixote at Machida for bike - very cheap
Internet cafe with printer (!)
Walk up to Hakusan High School
Walk back down - houses on steep hills, vegetable patches
Little farming shop

posted at: 20:00 | permanent link to this entry

Thu, 22 Aug 2002

Events

7 year Anniversary!
Went to Shinjuku, met Matt
Donquixote (weird layout!)
Bento lunch
Carried CD player home
Walk to North exit of Kamoi station, over bridge
Get hanko stamp - Ba-to-n
News
BSE diagnosis in Kanagawa prefecture

posted at: 10:10 | permanent link to this entry

Wed, 21 Aug 2002

Nova Interview

Lovely cool day, no humidity - change brought on by typhoon
"English for Business USA" tv show
"I would like to buy 10,000 units"
"I'll just check our inventory... sorry, we're sold out. Bye"
Interview at Shinjuku with Nova
News
Bank hold-up in central Yokohama

posted at: 20:00 | permanent link to this entry

Tue, 20 Aug 2002

Job Hunting

Shin-Yokohama Internet cafe to send resume to Matt
Ring Nova - arrange interview for tomorrow
7-11 to photocopy/fax resume/passport

posted at: 20:00 | permanent link to this entry

Mon, 19 Aug 2002

Yamato

Trip to Yamato for cheap furniture (and coffee machine!)
Rain
American airforce base nearby
Gatchaman tune played by construction workers
Shopping
Video on the way home (Happy Dolphin)
Tiny selection
Behind black curtain - Asian porn videos

posted at: 20:00 | permanent link to this entry

Sun, 18 Aug 2002

Kamakura Beach

Met Matt and Kim at Yokohama
Lunch at Diamond underground plaza
Catch train to Kamakura
Walk to beach
Told off by lifeguard (Typhoon 16 is coming!)

posted at: 20:00 | permanent link to this entry

Sat, 17 Aug 2002

Shinjuku

Day trip to Shinjuku
Video game - tambourine
Porno places
Big English bookstore at Times Square
The fish song (Sakana, sakana, sakana...)
Followed sticker guy around supermarket

posted at: 20:00 | permanent link to this entry