Well I had a couple of random meetings this week.  I went out for dinner with someone who who I had had a quick chat with whilst washing up at a cookery school session. I commented to Makiko that I was amazed that there is always someone standing outside the Kentucky Fried Chicken booth on the High Street...she then told me that for Christmas Eve (a bigger day here than the 25th) that her Mum and Dad tried to get Kentucky Fried Chicken but were told that they couldn't as they hadn't  booked in advance!!!!  The reason is that ovens in Japanese homes aren't very big so they cannot fit in all the stuff they want to cook so revert to buying it...in this case from the great man himself Colonel Sanders!

...and then I met up with Kayo, she's got a masters in History of Art and is applying to do a PHD - or is it the other way around?  I found Kayo by signing up to a website for cultural exchange.  I asked them to find me a Japanese teacher who could teach me and I in exchange would help them with their English.  And she's heading for Scotland to further her studies.  Apparently in the 1800 s there was a connection with Scotland and Japan, and some of the Glasgow boys art group went over to Japan...

A club in town runs various classes....the current teacher for the Japanese womens' English discussion group is leaving.  I found out about this opportunity on day 3.  I tried to find out details, had arranged to meet the teacher etc etc and then I was contacted to say my application was late!  Not sure how but they allowed me to put in my proposal "late".

I also met up with lovely Anujah from the British Red Cross who has been in Tokyo for 3 years and is mad about the octopus balls from Osaka. I am hoping to go vintage clothes shopping with her :)

A while ago (well not that long because I was already in Tokyo) I saw an English language teaching job ad for the business arm of Berlitz.  Applications closed the next day so I quickly submitted mine. I was asked for an interview which would require me to do a trial lesson.  Another email asked me to confirm my attendance as apparently a lot of applicants when they find out that they need to do a sample lesson cancel.....does make me wonder why they are applying?!  Business attire was required...mmm this was going to be tricky! 

.......I got offered the job!!!!   I am very excited about it and go in next week for a half day induction to find out more.   

The church bazaar - Dominic helped man the cake stand and I was on the white elephant stand the aim of which was to get rid of stuff! I walked in at 9am for my stint and within minutes had bought several notebooks and a dry erase board!  The number of people that looked disappointed when seeing the sold sign on it was interesting....especially an older Japanese lady who seemed to get excited and then visibly slumped when someone told her it was sold!

David from Ireland came to stay a couple of nights and he took us to a print museum just a short walk away, and also advised us about an antique fair on Sunday as well as loads of other things, he's lived in Tokyo and seemed to digest the entire what's on in town calendar! Also went to Gonpachi the restaurant featured in Kill Bill.  Dominic did not wear the outfit.

Our stuff from the UK showed up.  So how come our flat in London is half the size of where we are living yet our things barely fit in this place?  Perhaps this question will feature in next years GCSE maths paper?

Tune in next time to find out what happened when I told a student of my washing habits.....and a first aid myth!

We had a full on week. Dominic was out most nights and I was out most days being sociable! We had a long weekend so went to Osaka. Famous for food it's motto is something like eat till you die!

So we headed straight for noodles.

We booked to stay at an Airbnb. A flat in a non-descript Tower block. The guy had had everything ripped out so it was concrete walls and visible ventilation tubes. We liked it.

In the evening we went to candle festival. We decorated our own candle tops so contributed to the overall display! Heading back into town the place was in full Halloween mode. They don't limit themselves to Halloween themed things, any dressing up is good.

In our view the winners were these blokes...would have loved to have been there when they decided on their outfits!

We met the lovely Tomoyo at Catherine and Patrick's wedding.  She lives near Osaka.
We got to spend a day with her and had a great time doing loads of things. Visited a print museum and did some printing of course.  Dominic got so excited he decided to call Catherine and Patrick to tell them of our adventures with their friend.  He got the times a bit mixed up and rang them at 5am, he thought it was 10am.  Very sorry both . 

Ate balls of batter filled with squid (takoyaki)served in different ways. Osaka is famous for its balls...

Octopus ball selection!

It's a wrap!

Visited Kitchen Street -it does what it says! Went into one shop which was packed with stuff. Some piles of plates and dishes looked as though they were about to fall over. So we walked around the place gingerly. Especially me! Get it?
We then stopped for a beer at a stand up bar. But just to be contrary we sat down!

Smelt the roses at the island park and then went for dinner of dumplings.

Next day we went to the instant Ramen museum. Despite being packed with kids on school trips we were soon decorating our own Cup Noodles containers and selecting our flavours and contents! Brilliant. They seal them up and shrink wrap them so you can take them home. Denise I was thinking of you!

In the afternoon I'd arranged a volunteer guide to take us wherever he liked in town. He took us to the sky tower. He suggested we stop a few floors below the top from where you could see very little but it was free.I wonder where he doesn't like in town? We paid for us and him to go to the top so that we could actually see something of the view!

We did a whistle stop tour of the castle and a museum and then ended up in the old town.

In the evening we headed off for Kushi Katsu - another food item that Osaka is famous for. Basically deep-fried things on sticks. Even tomatoes aren't saved from this process! However raw cabbage is served on the side to create a balanced meal!

Before leaving town we headed for the aquarium. In the summer when its boiling here the penguin display with constantly falling icy snow must attract the human crowd! 

Month one - things I've noticed

Things I've noticed one month in...

All bus drivers have a microphone to talk to us passengers! And they wait at the stop in order to keep to the schedule.... this is for a bus that runs every 10 minutes!

Zoo keepers in Tokyo are better climbers than Malayan bears.  The bear went round retrieving the food the keeper had put out for him but found climbing up to it very difficult!

At first the Metro seemed daunting but you soon realise that there is a whole load of information. All the stations on each line are numbered. On the platform they tell you if you are going in the direction of the station numbers going up or down. They also have info as to which carriage you should be in if you want to change to Y line at X Station. Denise- with that map in your diary it will be a doddle!

Also at the Metro stations are maps as to the exits. If you get out of the wrong one or even at the right one it sometimes feels as though you are walking for miles. 

There seem to be more people asleep on the Tokyo metro than on the London Underground.  A full survey is needed but said observation already backed up by another UK bod so it must be a fact!

Crossing at a traffic light controlled junction? Even if there is nothing in sight I'm now reticent to cross!

Donki (Don Quijote) sells everything it is the equivalent to Woolworths on acid!  Needed a smaller suitcase to conform with reduced take on luggage so I popped into Donki and got one for a tenner. Maybe not one for Dave, a big fan of a quality item! Or Ian's customers...

Rubbish bins - there aren't any on the streets.  The nearest thing you'll find is recycling for bottles and cans next to some of the many drinks machines and recycling inside some of the many corner shops.  We've got 3 within 200 metres.