Tokyo Take 3 – Fish Market & Harajuku

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Oooh buddy! The last month of my life has been a whirlwind of emotions, travels, and turning my life upside down, but hopefully I can get everything up to date on here {fortunately for me, my adventures rarely stop…unfortunately for my blog, my adventures rarely stop!}

Day 3 in Tokyo I told myself I’d take it a little easier, I had been go, go, go for far too long and my body was finally screaming at me to take a break! After going to bed at a somewhat decent time the night before I woke up somewhat early in hopes of making it to Tokyo’s morning fish market. From what I have read this is the largest fish market in the world! The daily market begins around 4-5 am with the most popular tuna auctions, but they only let a limited amount of visitors in to see the auctions each morning and it is recommended to line up for tickets by 3am. I thought it would be cool to see, but at 3am, my pillow is also really awesome! So needless to say I didn’t see the tuna auction, but I was at the market by 9:30am and was able to stroll through the outdoor fish markets and other vendor stalls, which was really fun to see in its own respect as well!

If there was a type of fresh fish or seafood that you were craving, the Tsukiji fish market had it…guaranteed! Also if sushi at 9am is your thing…the various stands squeezed between the fish stalls had you taken care of in that regard as well! The options were terrific, the people watching was amazing, and the smells were quite questionable, but overall, I loved this unique market. As I was starting to head out my stomach took over and decided it needed food like 2 hours ago, I wasn’t so keen on fish at 10am, but wasn’t sure what else to try. I spotted a lady stirring a large pot and figured I’d try what was inside…that’s when she pointed behind me and I saw a line at least 15 people deep waiting to eat at her stand {she literally had 5 chairs at her stand and people were eating elbow to elbow!} I figured it had to be good and hoped in line, still having NO idea what she was selling. I watched what people ahead of me were buying and when it was my turn did my signature “1 please” and sure enough, I always get 1 of the “house specialties”! It was a braised pork over rice and tasted pretty close to what I’m assuming Heaven tastes like if God decided to give it a flavor!

After the market I walked in the direction of a famous park in Tokyo, but instantly decided to not pay to go inside when the rain sprinkles turned into a light drizzle, so onwards and upwards! One of the last place I really wanted to check out was in an area called Shibuya. Many of the sites that I read about Tokyo on recommend this area and I figured it was worth a visit! Getting out of the subway station there is a 5 way intersection immediately in front of you, and this intersection is unreal. I have NEVER seen such a busy intersection in my life! As soon as the cars get a red light there are people coming and going from literally every direction filling the entire area in the blink of an eye. I just stood through several red lights watching everyone around me before I actually crossed the street!

I walked around this area for a bit picking up a couple of souvenirs along the way and stopping at a local curry joint for a late lunch before running into a pair of traveling girls {one from Australia & the other Germany} who had only met the day before as well. We stopped for some desert & drinks and enjoyed each other’s company for the afternoon until we parted ways.

The last place on my personal Tokyo list, and about the last my poor body could handle!, was to check out the geek/anime culture in the Harajuku District. Holy moly, was this area weird! Lol I loved it! There were people dressed up quite eccentrically, shops selling clothing that I never knew existed, and just overall “creatures” that you might have to look long and hard to find in the mid-west of the USA! But, here they were, all together, and all for my personal people watching enjoyment!

After Harakuju I went back to my hostel for a short nap (7pm naps are a thing…right?!) And then per the suggestion of the girls I had met earlier in the day, found an Okonomi restaurant near where I was staying. I was told it’s a traditional Japanese food and some people call it a Japanese pancake…I had nothing else, and boy was I in for a surprise! I ordered a pork Okonomi as it looked like that was a popular option and was then quickly worried when they turned a burner on on my table and presented me with a bowl of white mush, cabbage, a raw egg, and raw meat….ummm, is this my meal?! After a minute or two I caught a waitress’s eye, pointed at the slimy, raw bowl of food in front of me and shrugged my shoulders, she quickly caught on and came over to make my food for me! She mixed everything together into a questionable looking paste and tossed it on the griddle in a thick pancake like form. Later I went to check if I should flip it and another waitress quickly slapped my hand away! Haha…they have this covered now. Eventually my food was ready and as I am eating it yet another waitress comes over and takes it from it and starts covering it with a number of sauces from the table (I had been trying a new one with each bite!) and then hands me my food back. It may not have been the most flavorful food in my life, but the experience still makes me chuckle!

I went back to the red-light district for a bit to take in some more of its craziness, and then called my last night in Tokyo a wrap.

Wednesday, before flying home I packed my bags, grabbed some pork & rice for breakfast and headed back to Harakuju only to find that the shops weren’t open yet. I took that as my clue and headed to the train station, airport bound, and ready for one last week of teaching in Taiwan.

Dragon Boat Practice

Thursday, June 9th, is a national holiday here in Taiwan; Dragon Boat Festival {check back Tuesday for more information on this very new-to-me holiday!}

The main attraction of this holiday {besides the fact that we get a 4 day weekend!} is watching the dragon boat races. Upon hearing this I was quite intrigued and initially wanted to watch the races...that is until I was offered to be IN the races...umm yes please!

My school has helped me find a local team that began practice about a month and half ago {I started a little late with only 4 weeks of practice left} and Clement, my poor substitute military guy from school, was tasked with taking me to practice the first couple nights and translating from Chinese to English how to row these massive boats.

Starting last Sunday {a week ago now} we transitioned to the actual river where the competition will take place and likewise rowing real boats instead of sitting in a cement box in the ground!

Dragon Boat Logistics 

16 rowers per team/boat

1 drummer per team/boat

1 flag catcher per team/boat

1 man in charge of steering per team/boat

1 coach per team/boat

170 meters - length from starting point to the flag

Countless - tubes of Tiger Balm, rolls of sports tape, knee pads, & neon orange life vests per team

Our initial training location; a cement "boat" with small moats of water for rowing

One of our teams 2 men's groups at the training site.

During my first night of my one-on-one training with the coach

Actual dragon boats we are practicing in/will use for the competition

Dragon butts! ;)

Tuesday's Taiwan-ism {face masks}

Guys, these things are real! I couldn't make these pictures up if I tried lol.

When I first arrived to Taiwan the use of face masks EVERYWHERE was unsettling and quite different for me, after only 8 months though I have to say it's become a part of everyday life much like many other things here!

There seem to be 3 trains of thought behind wearing a face mask:
1. I'm sick and don't want to share my germs {the most common reason}
2. There are many other sick people and I don't want to catch what they have {doctors offices and many businesses}
3. The air pollution is terrible and they don't  want to breath it in {not as bad as China's but they do share their lovely pollution with us!}

 {Where's Waldo Taiwan version...How many masks can you spot in the collage above?!}

Tuesday's Taiwan-ism {pictures of everything}

Although I've mentioned the idea of loads of pictures  before, I don't think it is quite comprehendable until one finds themselves actually living amidst the flashbulb paparazzi.  You may remember reading about the camera mobs in some of my previous posts like here or here. But they don't even begin to touch the tip of the iceberg!

Living here I have 2 things going against me in terms of pictures 1) I'm white {as in 1 of only 2 white people I've seen in my small town in the last 4 months type of white} & 2) They love taking pictures...combine these 2 things and they weren't kidding when they said "Everyday is picture day here"

If you can try to imagine, these are all legitimate reasons that people have taken picture of me: 

1. I stopped to ask them directions
2. They saw me walking down the street
3. It was the first day of school
4. It was Halloween day
5. We had a staff meeting
6. I was getting in their car
7. I was getting out of their car
8. I was eating dinner
9. I am white and they wanted a white person in their presidential campaign pictures
10. I was the only white person at church
11. The student was sitting next to me
12. The student was playing a game with me
13. We had a staff meeting
14. I was reading to a class
15. I was teaching a class
16. I was walking to class
17. A guard was leaving our school
18. A new guard was starting at our school
19. We had a staff meeting
20. Because "you are so beautiful"
21. Because they saw me taking a picture
22. Because I asked if they needed help taking a picture
23. Because they thought I couldn't see them trying to sneak a picture
24. Just because they can

I'm not kidding folks....it's a little absurd!

Tuesday's Taiwan-ism {dog OBSESSION}

So when I first moved to Taiwan {it still feels weird to say I live here lol} I was told that their birth rate is on a steady decline as many couples are opting for only 1 or even no children (citing factors such as expense of raising, mandatory military service, and careers as some of their many reasons why). I was also told that it is becoming more and more frequent as well for couples to "replace" having a child with...yup you guessed it...a dog.

Now it's probably about here that you're saying "Tracy! Tons of people in America (or where ever you live!) have dogs, it can't be any different!"

Please let me introduce you to exhibit A: the doggie stroller. (note these also come in a convenient double stroller style and a wide variety of colors!)

And please don't forget about the not quite as common, but apparently gaining popularity exhibit B: the doggie carrier (conveniently sold for both front and rear dogs to fit their preference!)

Disclaimer: YES, this is a real dog I saw in the market, and if you look close enough he's also wearing jeans and a t-shirt!

The "Long" Awaited Video!

Well we {{I}}  made it! After a couple run throughs at home, even I  couldn't help but admit that it wasn't difficult (disclaimer, I still stand firmly by the point that understanding the lyrics would have made a WORLD of a difference! lol...anyways!). I got to school Friday confidant that I knew what was going on.....until they handed me a bag saying "For you! For you, put here!" (while handing me a large  bag and pointing to my waist.

Umm....what exactly do you want me to do with this bag of giant leaves?? Ooohh...umm, it's a skirt? We are all dressing up like trees??  Umm...ok...roll with the punches Tracy, roll with the punches. 10 minutes  and 3 teachers dressing me later, I now looked like a giant, red (thank you  red school polo we had to wear) tree. While this look was adorable on the little kids...it was not so becoming of myself haha....but I wore that tree proudly dangit! haha

ANYWAYS! We marched on the field, the 8th graders played their drums, we did our dance, the announcer yelled my name a couple times, and the camera may zoomed way too close to me for comfort, but, we did it and the kids looked adorable!

The kids in their tree get-ups...way stinkin' adorable!

Sideshow!

So area schools that do not have foreign English teachers can sign up to bring their students to my classroom for a morning where we read books & learn songs in English as a field trip. Today I had my first class like this and as I walk in I hear 40 students saying “wow”, “so pretty!”, & “she really is American!”…yes folks…step right up to the Miss St. John carnival sideshow!

Tuesday's Taiwan-ism {Taiwanese Trash Trucks}

So I've decided that besides my normal posts, I'm going to {TRY} (try being the key word!) to post each Tuesday about something I've learned, found interesting, or just downright strange about living in Taiwan. Now of course I'm a teacher so I had to have a cutesy alliteration to go with it...so Tuesday's Taiwan-ism is born!

___ ___  ___ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___  ___  ___ ____ ___ ___ ___

Today's Taiwan-ism was something I was warned about before moving here, but it still makes me giggle almost daily. Each day around 4:00pm I hear a beautiful sound coming down the street that would make every American run outside waving their money and ordering ice cream from the traveling ice cream truck!

To every American's dismay though...this truck does not have ice cream...in fact it doesn't contain anything edible...the music truck coming down the street is sadly the daily trash truck that comes to collect your garbage. So while we line the sides of the street like it's a 4th of July parade, the trash truck rolls through, collects our garbage, and continues playing their cute little melody!

Bathroom Woes

Yes you read that right...and you are correct in assuming that this will be a post all about my bathroom usage...ok so not so much about "usage", but possibly more about experiences.

I will start you off with a story...one of those that I'm sure the friends I have made here won't let me live down! Tory (one of the other girls from Ohio that will be teaching in Taiwan) and I were walking around the campus we are staying at this week and decided we both needed to use the restroom. We found a public women's bathroom on the campus and thought that we knew what we were doing (after all, using the bathroom isn't rocket science...or at least I didn't think so yet at this point in the story!)
Upon entering the bathroom we quickly discovered that the handicapped bathroom was the only "western" bathroom and the rest were "slightly more Asian" we can say for now. We decided we just needed to pee and weren't in the mood for an adventure so we would take turns using the handicapped stall. When it was my turn I went in the stall and did my business, reached up, and pushed the red button to flush the toilet. Just a simple side note here {THE RED BUTTON IS THE EMERGENCY CALL BUTTON!!!} needless to say, the red button did not flush the toilet, it did though have the ability to produce the most ear-splitting siren that could be heard throughout the entire campus! After waiting it out a couple of minutes (and discovering that if this were in fact an actual emergency that no one would come help you!) we decided to leave the premiss like it wasn't some "dumb American" who had set off the toilet alarm!

 Needless to say, when I have used the restroom outside of my dorm room since then, I have began to practice the art of using one of these bad boys!