Day 16 - First Day at Gaba and the Imperial Palace

So yesterday was my induction at Gaba where I had to finish off a couple of modules and met everyone.  It was not until 5:30pm so I had a bit of time to kill and looked at my map and thought that I have not even been into the cit yet, or to the Imperial Palace.  It was not raining (YAY) so jumped on the metro that takes me straight to Tokyo station.  When I popped out the other side, I feel like I was transported to a city/country that was not Tokyo, let alone Japan.  I was in Europe,  tree lined boulevards, stone roman columns, and blue stone paved the streets next to the likes of  Major bank corporations and designer stores.  I don't know what I expecting but that was not it.  Anyways, it was easy to find the imperial palace, look for A) the hoards of tourists and B) the massive stone wall around the edge.  The Imperial Family still live there so you can only access the east garden (which is free).  Maybe it was a bad time to go, I was getting a little hungry and was thinking 'yeah, yeah Japanese garden' despite the fact that it is, oh, how many years old...well the palace was reconstructed in 1968 (I don't feel so bad now) but the family has lived in this area since 1600.  

Headed back home to prepare for my induction (prepare = iron clothes) so I can head out to Akabane.  So I get out there just on time ( I missed the rapid train) and it is only a 16min train ride form shinjuku so I think this location for work will be fine.  I met the leader, got a tour of the studio and we get stuck into the other modules (need to complete four in your first week).  They are pretty basic, taking about 20 mins each, read the text, take notes and a mini quiz at the end.  By now it is about 7:30pm and my leader says 'how about we open up a lesson for you at 8:30pm, and if someone takes it great, if not, you can start tomorrow'.  After a minor panic attack, someone books the class and I have my first student.  Talk about being thrown in the deep end, but it actually went ok.  Not great, mind you, but not a disaster either.  It was good to get it over and done with.  The leader gave me great feedback, I have to speak louder, and stop saying 'yeah'.  But other than that, he thought it went well for a first lesson.  He said I was quite nervous at the beginning but settled into it, so he thinks I will be fine.  He has opened up my schedule, so fingers crossed I get some bookings.  Eventually, he said you want to be getting all 'blue bookings', that means that the student requested you.  In the beginning I won't have many unless the students want to meet me, but he said after a month or two, my schedule should be fully booked with mostly blues.  Fingers and toes.  The first month is always quiet, I just want to break even with my living costs which means I have to teach 16 classes a week at 40mins each.  (Hopefully I get more than that).

One thing I am tossing up about at the moment is about the pub job.  Saturdays and Sundays are the busiest teaching, and he has opened me up for 9 classes this Saturday, but I have to work at pub on Sunday.   If I could get 9 classes teaching that is 13500Y versus  5700Y for 6hours at the pub.  Pub might have to go I think, unless I can switch a shift.  Maybe I will try that first and if it doesn't work, then I will just have to be super tight until Nov 25th when I get paid by Gaba, and try and teach as much as possible.

xoxo

Day 1-15 - I Like Stairs

 Loving the tile action (experts) and stairs on the outside....Collection over the last couple of weeks, Shinjuku, Asakusa and Nakano...

 

Day Six - (Retro-fit post) Shinjuku

 

I really should have put this stuff up on day six, but I have been bit slack with photos. (I don't really like the photos I have been taking BUT...Text is boring), so here are a few pics from my day out in Shinjuku, shopping, picnic lunch at Shinjuku Gyoen Nation Gardens and the best robot tree I have ever seen...

Day 15 - It's raining, its pouring, its an earthquake

Umm, so day 15 here in TYO and it has not stopped pissing down.  I worked last night at the Meguro Tavern from 5-11 and it was dead from 5-8, it picked up and was at a peak at about 10 so the shift ended up going quite quickly, but from 5-8, I was doing my head in.  Has really good fish and chips for tea (hope I won't get fat working there) and meet some other staff.  thinking it could be an ok job for 2 days a week.

So, the plan was to be productive today, my list of things to see and do keeps getting longer, but it has not stopped raining since Iwoke up, and it is big fat rain too, also copped a bit of a storm and looking like it is not holding off.  I wanted to go to the mori museum today to see a 'nature' exhibition but I will see if I can get motivated this afternoon....I know at some point, I will have to get over the rain, but right at this moment I am enjoying watching 'United states of Tara'....

So, to the earthquake...it was about 3am and I fet a kind of rumble coming up from the floor, it maybe lasted 10 secs, but it felt like forever.  To begin with I got super scared and froze (similar to the experience where the hairdresser lit my hair on fire) but then a trillion thoughts started to rush into my head about what I should do if it gets bigger and if I should grab my passport, do I get under stairs, under a table...

It was over quite quickly, and it did not get any bigger, but I still got a fright. So I googled what to do and got this very helpful booklet form the Tokyo government....

http://www.seikatubunka.metro.tokyo.jp/index3files/survivalmanual.pdf

Earthquake hints: open a door to secure an exit and get under a table 

Good to know, even if the earthquake was only measured at 1!

Day Thirteen - One Job + Two = Three Jobs

Well I finished my three day GABA training on Friday and was exhausted afterwards.  I was pretty disappointed with my feedback.  For our practice classes we were rated out of 5 for each of the,  I got 3 x 3/5 and 2 x 4/5.  Everyone else in the class got at least one 5/5....so I was a bit gutted being the dud.  We went out for a drink afterwards in a fun area called Shimo but my heart was not really in it.  So I bailed.

After the feedback, I was thinking 'is this for me?' and was planning to go to the JAWHM agency on Monday to see if they had any work.  So when got back home on Friday night, I checked their website for their hours (they were shut last Saturday when I went to go). All this time I was thinking, its OK, once I go to the agency, they can hook me up with something, it will be OK.  But when I got home and had another look at their website...THEY HAVE CLOSED DOWN.  In June.  Not enough funding.

So then I went into a bit of a panic and started searching 'jobsinjapan.com, craigslist, metropolis, and gaijinpot.com' and pretty much applied for every job that I could.

I had a rotten sleep feeling anxious about it all and woke up at sparrows fart to check my email and had two emails about prospective jobs!  One was about designing a website for a guy (I am meeting him tomorrow) and the other was a waitress job in an English pub in meguro (www.themegurotavern.com). So I called the pub guy, had an interview yesterday afternoon and started today.  It is really crappy money but I do get a meal and two drinks (which some staff choose to drink on the job?), and they pay my transportation costs so that helps. 

I worked today 11-5pm and they do a 'all you can eat carvery lunch' on Sundays so at least I had a roast for lunch (and ate some veges for the first time this week) so thinking that will be good.  It was a bit slow for my liking, but they did say it was quiet, so hopefully it picks up next week.  At this stage I am just working Sunday lunches and Monday nights.  So then I can still do teaching the other days.  I have an induction at my 'learning studio' on Wednesday so I should be able to start teaching on Thursday.  The pub pays once a month on the 10th so at least I will have some cash coming in, then I think I can relax a bit with the money stuff. (GABA does not pay until the following month, say I work October, I don't get paid until the end of November, shitballs) so I was feeling quite anxious that I would literally be down to my last dollar by the end of November.  Soooo, shitty pub job it is, until I get sorted...

Other than that, I made it over to Roppongi on Saturday afternoon to watch 'the game'.  Drinking VB in an Irish pub 'Paddy Foleys', in Tokyo seemed little crazy/wrong but it was a good chance to meet some other foreigners who are teaching here as well.  After a few beers and very little to eat, feeling quite tipsy and decided to head home  (it was all of 7pm at this stage) and get an early night for the pub job....

Next time: I will get some more photos up, I know text is BORING!

Day Nine - Praise Sandwich

Yep you heard it.  

We have got to remember the 'Praise Sandwich' = Praise - Mistake correction/constructive criticism - Praise. 

Now remember, it is not an open-faced sandwich....

What have I got myself into?  First day at training and it was brutal.  Lots of information to take in and loads of jargon/corporate craps.  All quite difficult when at the end of the day, we had to do a practice lesson with the person sitting beside us.  That was difficult, keeping a lesson running smoothly for 40 mins, trying to remember all the key points.  I forgot loads of the main points but figure it can only get easier from here.  The bad part is that being a one-on-one class, you can't really hide anything.  Although I think I was this nervous when I was at RMIT teaching my first class of 20 students just staring at you.  And after the first 3-4 lessons, when you get to know them and the content, I think it should be heaps easier.

I am placed at a studio 30mins train ride which I am a bit disappointed at, I was hoping to get something closer so that I could ride my bike (when I get one)...especially to keep a bit fit and save some cash on PT which is where I am spending the most money at the moment.  According to the train website it is 13.5km's so I suppose that is still rideable (maybe not in winter).  I asked if it was possible that I could transfer now before I have started but they said not really...this was where people are needed and if I want to establish a 'good client base'...it is better to stick to where they have placed me...

I will wait and see.  If I miss the rapid train, it can be up to an hour each way and that makes me mad.  I would not do that at home so why would I do it here....I think I will try and talk to the leader tomorrow or Friday and see if we can change it....or at least see if they will pay my transportation costs ...I am looking at 740 Yen per day in train travel so that cuts into a huge part of my budget...

Hopefully day two will be better...not feeling so convinced now...

The best part of the day is that across the road there is a shrine and they are having a 3-4 day festival to encourage the god to come out and grant their wishes, or something like that.  It is basically a big carnival with loads of food stalls and games and little kids in kimono's...so super cute.  will def take my camera tomoz and get some pics....

Holding my breath for day two and more classics like the praise sandwich.

Oh yeah, and the picture is the view from my bedroom window.  Pretty nice to come home to.

xoxo

Best New Website:  http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/e-norikeyin.html   

for train travel, provides options for your route according to how fast, easy and cheap it is...gold

Day Eight - Going Corporate

Well yesterday was not really post worthy.  Sleep in, shopping in Harujuku (amazing, wish I had more room on my credit card) checked out Issey Miyake, Comme de Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto (spelling?), and Prada (can't escape the dutchies for design, although that vertical wall on the side is looking decidely brown).

Other than that, watched a bit of 'Keeping up with the Kardashians' season five and called it a day, ready for my contract signing appointment with Gaba.

Could not sleep of course, always the way with a new job.  But all was straight forward.  Had to read through lots of documents, do two mini-quiz's based on what you had read and shoot a 15 second introduction film about yourself.  Two tests went fine, but I was shitting myself after my last test for 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' was a complete disaster, I thought, they can't ask me to leave already, I have travelled across the world for this.  Well not really, but I was prepared to be dramatic if I got less than 70%.  It was fine, I passed with 80% on the first one and 88% on the second, so all was OK.

Hrmm...introduction film.  Cheese central.  'Hello, my name is Cassandra, I am from Australia.  Previous to this I lived in Amsterdam where I enjoyed exploring the city on my bicycle.  I am very excited to be in japan and I look forward to meeting you soon!' 

Spew.

The induction leader said it was very 'unique'.  Hope that's a good thing.

The next three days are the training course from 10-7, which seems like it will be huge, but I will wait and see.

 I have not bothered to go to the JAWHM yet, it is hot and sticky today and I just wanted to get out of my corporate clothes (black pants, suit coat, white shirt and flat black shoes) feels totally not like me at all and can't wait for this three day training to be over and in the 'learning studio' I can at least where a dress and some fun shoes.

Feeling OK about Gaba so far.  Hours seem to be a bit crap, peak hours are 5-10pm and weekends but i figure if all the other tutors are in the same boat then we can all go out for a drink afterwards and de-brief.  Plus at teh moment I am a bit of a nigel no friends so I really have all the time in the world...There are two other Australian girls there, both from Sydney, one is a textile pattern designer...one has been here 3 months and the other 5 weeks so I am still feeling pretty fresh in comparison...

I met my American housemate the other day.  He has a loud indoor voice and also works for gaba.  He said that he got off to a 'shakey start' and did not have many students signing up to him for the first two months but now it has picked up.  I am hoping that it goes a little better for me.  I am quite happy to work loads at the beginning of my trip and then take time off later when everyone comes to visit....And if it doesn't work out, then I will find another job.  Will let you know how three day training goes tomoz.

What do I miss?  Good, real coffee.  (Starbucks does not count)

Day Five/Six - For Heavens Sa-ke

First of all, thanks heaps to Taz for making the super cute logo for the blog!


So yesterday morning I was going to the JAWHM (Japan Association for Working Holiday Makers) because the website said they were open on Saturdays, I go there and they were closed.  OK, this happens for a reason. What to do on a Saturday morning? Go shopping. Of course.

So I head to shinjuku and decide to take the east exit (loz had recommended it) and it is still early about 10:30am and pretty quiet at the station....But people were already lining up for the shops, a huge line for Top Shop, crazy times.  They had a promotion, when you walk into the store you get a bag.  In that bag is a key. In the store there is a closet.  If your key unlocks the closet, you get what's inside.  Bit like Cinderella, but I did not stick around to see which person unlocked it...I had my mind on Zara and on how much room I had on my credit card...just enough to buy a blazer, shirt and dress.

Looking at my map, Shinjuku Gyoen Park was not that far away so I decide to stop at a convenience store and get a little picnic lunch for the park.  After paying 200Y to get into the park, the park was packed, people sun baking, families and load of people painting/drawing.  I found a little spot and sat myself down with my ice cream and sushi.  

Head back to new place for a rest and then Lisa and Aiden send a message saying that they are in Tokyo and would I like to catch up for dinner and drinks?  YES!  Its a Saturday night and I have not even been out out yet.  So I met them at Ikebukuro station and we have a quick walk around the 'red light district' but then decide to get a train to Ebisu for dinner and drinks.  We had an amazing yakitori dinner at, well I don't know the name.  But it was the best meal I have had in japan so far.  We walked down the stairs to this little place and while we waited for a table, they offered us a beer (in massive silver goblets) and we drank and chatted on the stairs.  We order a few things, beef tongue, quail eggs and bacon, prawns were easily my favourites.  So good.  Then we hit a little sake bar that they had been to earlier in their trip.  We just got one between us (already feeling a little tipsy) and another round of beers.  The bar was playing weird music so we thought we would hit another bar, but checking my clock on my really bad white armani phone it was already 12:20am. I have no idea where the time went but we thought it was a good idea to check what time the last train went, it was in 20mins. So we jumped on the train.  Think we all could have kicked on for longer, but was for the best.  Feeling the sake now, and it was Lisa and Aiden's last day in Tokyo.  GREAT night.  I hoped off at shinjuku but my train had stopped so I got the last train to nakano and then got a cab home.  It only cost 980Y, so not so bad. 

Feeling a little tender this morning (I don't remember hanging up my dress last night) so tried to channel a bit of Tom and decide to spend my hangover walking around getting to know my neighbourhood.  All I really wanted is a cheesy from maccas but I am going to try and avoid it.  I check my map and realise I am not that far from shinjuku stataion, and its only a 30 mins stroll, handy to know next time my train stops early in the night, I can just walk home.

Have  a look at Tokyo Metropolitan Office and gardens and then get a bt hungry so hit the subway home.  Too lazy to walk the way back! Then its pretty much a lazy day ahead.  All the running around has caught up with me now.

Tomorrow is a public holiday, I might hit Aoyama tomoz for a little architecture tour.  Tuesday is big day, I have my contract appointment with GABA, I am going to a council recycling station to try and get a bike and hopefully get to JAWHM to get a better job.  I have my three day training session start on Wednesday from 10-7 each day so want to get to JAWHM and see if they can help me out.  I need cash so I can buy all the shoes that I like.

Hrrmm, hint for the day: It's all closer than I think.

PS. Turns out you are not meant to eat and drink on the street, that's why I could not find a bin.

Day Four - Ikea and Rubbish

So yesterday I moved into my new room.  It was a big day.  Left hostel, to Shinjuku to get collect keys, then back on subway to new house.  I arrive and discovered a lift after climbing the first set of stairs and thinking 'you have got to be serious, I am on the 6th Floor').  Unlocked door to room, but the last tenant was still there.  All packed up but waiting for the agents to do a final inspection. All I really wanted to do was unpack but I dumped my stuff and thought it was a good chance to get to ikea.  The previous tenant, an Australian guy (David) here for 2 months quickly showed me around the neighbourhood, where to get good bento, cheap beer, 99yen store...all the important things....

So I then head back to Shinjuku, change to Shibuya and get on the Toku Toyoko Line to Den-en-chofu station (only about 20mins from Shibuya) where Ikea run a shuttle bus to their store.  Al very easy but I just missed the 1pm bus so I had another hour to wait until the next bus arrived.  Went and got some lunch, First lot of bad sushi or pot-luck-sushi, had some weirdness in the middle that I could not identify and then had a wander around, it was just like a small village and I got back to the bus stop in plenty of time.

I don't really know how many times I can buy exactly the same thing at different ikeas around the world...

So it was pretty snappy shopping experience and as I am leaving I see the ikea bus about to drive off.  I didn't want to wait another hour, so I jumped on, just in time.  

Only to discover that this one is not going back to Den-en-chofu but it is going to Yokohama.  

Not such a big deal I thought, I get to see another part of Tokyo, and then I can just  get the train back to the city.  Not really a big deal, apart form the fact that Yokohama is not part of Tokyo, and I have to buy a crazy expensive ticket to get back.  So I buy a ticket for 480Y, but then have to but a second ticket because the trains are limited express, and that costs me another 840Y.  Ok whatever, I am tired and lugging around ikea shit and just want to unpack my new room and it is getting close to 5pm and I don't want to get stuck in that craziness.

Turns out I had to pay so much for the ticket because it is the crazy fast Shin-something super express train.  Well I suppose at least now I can say I have seen it, been on it, done.  AND, it was a smooth and fast ride to shinagawa.  Where I then head back to shinjuku, and back home.  Unpack all my things and feeling a little more settled now.

So glad not to be sharing a small room with 7 other girls.  I met one house mate Mimi, she is french, doing her phd here but have not met the other American guy (though I did get a warning from David so I will wait and see...)

At 7:30pm I head downstairs where there is a plethora of convenience stores and little cafes, so I pick one that David had recommended and chow down on a katsudon, I point to the picture and waitress says 'katsudon' and i say 'Hai' and then think to myself durr, of course it is the same words as back home. I guess I am more tired than I thought. 

Finishing dinner you would normally just throw the rubbish on one bin, maybe recycle a bottle.  Not here, at my new house there is five bins.  They are broken down into burnable / non-burnable and then that is broken down into plastic bottles (which must be rinsed, lids and labels taken off and then crushed), plastic containers and glass I think.  Anyways This was quite a feat to separate after dinner, chopstick and food in one, plastic container in another and then what to do with the plastic bag?  I put it in with plastic container and will double check tomorrow.  this apparently is the best way to make enemies of your neighbours so I want to get it right.

By 830pm I have crashed out and am lying in bed on my very hard mattress.  But at least it is mine.

Hint of the day: Always carry a map and check where you are going before you jump on.

Day Three - No Bin

Productive. 

Bank account? (After a brief stop back at city office, to get my proof of address) Check. Phone? check. (Soft Bank, Ropongi made it super easy and I am on a $20 month plan that is deducted from my international credit card each month, and I even got a phone. Super daggy, I am a bit embarrased actually.  It is white, and it is an emporio armani phone, the name lights up in blue on the side. totally gross.)

Next? Bike, better job and a boy/boys. 

I suppose what I left out yesterday was all the little moments that I noticed. At coffee yesterday loz had told me about how there is rules for everything, even how you stand on the train platform.  I noticed it only when I was obviously not in the right spot.  There are small markers on the platform to tell you where the doors will stop.  These markers desiginate a new line, so if you arrive first, stand on that marker, if you arrive second, stand behind that first person.  Then you get on the train in that order, after letting everyne else off of course. 

 

Then I realised how everything is scaled. Great for me, I can actually hold onto the rails in the train.  But to give you an idea, there was a dutch family on the train, dad, mum and little girl about 6 or 7 (she was almost my height, no joke, maybe she 8 or 9 years old).  When the dad sat down on the chair (and they are low to the ground) when he put his arms in the air, he could touch the rails.  Yes, he was a big guy, but, jesus (said with a silent j)

I am excited about the shopping, so glad to have ZARA back in my life, I have already got my eyes on a navy winter coat, and I found MUJI, well I think it is muji, but I can't really tell because it is all in kanji... 

   

The lady at the bank wrote my name in kanji today, that was pretty exciting.  

But I suppose the hardest thing for me today was not being able to find a bin.  After my first trip to Shinsei bank in Roppongi (open an account here, the staff are amazing), I had to head to my ward/city office to get my proof of address.  It was about midday and I had not eaten all day so after city hall, I chomped down on a banana before i jumped back on the train.  It was then that I realised that I had not seen any other people eating on the go, or on the street for that matter, but I was hungry.  Then what to do with my peel.  I was already stressing about which bin to put it in once i found one (burnable, non burnable, then recycled etc) but at Nakano station and outside it there was no bins, at shinjuku there was no bins, so I am walking around with a banana peel in my bank that starting to take over the cheese smell from my bag and I am desperate to get rid of it before I sign up for a bank account.  I don't want to be known as the foreigner that smells like banana.  Anways get to roppongi station, no bins, it was only when i got to the mori tower in roppongi hills that I found a bin.  

Hint for the day?  Pack a zip lock or something to put rubbish in.

And if that was the hardest thing today, then things are going pretty well.

Move into new room tomorrow. Excited

First 24 hours in Tokyo

Epic.

12:30pm: Arriving at Narita Airport, it was a straight forward train ride to Asakusa.

3pm: I am staying at Khaosan Tokyo Original in a 8-bed girl dorm for cheap cheap 2000Y per night. I can see the Asahi building (think the one with the big gold terd on top, thankyou Philippe Starck) from my bed. While this is a plus, maybe I am getting to old for hostels...at 10:30pm last night there was a girl packing her bag. She had plastic bags in plastic bags in bigger plastic bags. I don't think she got the memo that you should have plastic bags in dorm rooms. Melon told me this and its a good rule to go by. I was trying to be the polite tourist that I am, but after 25 mins of 'rustle rustle' I glared at her. It did not work. 'Rustle rustle'...

Next day
9am: Dani's friend Loz had been in touch (she has been living in Tokyo for 1.5 years now) and we arranged to meet at Shinagawa station for a coffee, after a very easy train trip, 20mins and one change over, I meet Loz and we hit 'Dean and Deluca' for coffee. (So excited, I had not been there since I was in New York). And she gave me some great hints and tips and a bit of insight into the way that Japanese people do things...and she hooked me up with a Suica train card that has save my life today traipsing all over the city, just top it up and then 'tap on, tap off' at each station.

11am: So then onto Sakura House, just near Shinjuku Station to sign the lease on my room. I reserved a room, just 3 subway stations from Shinjuku, Nakanoshinbashi. It is a 3BR flat on the top floor sharing with an American guy and french girl (have not met them yet). My room is 9.5m and has two windows (very excited) small built in closet and I pay 68000Y. Very excited to have my own space. Staff at Sakura House were very helpful and friendly, all very straight forward.

12:30pm Then onto Nakano City Office, which was very easy to find, signed all the way from Nakano station. Apply for my 'Alien Registration', all I have to do is provide my new address, 2 passport photos and fill in a form (which the lady basically had to rewrite in clear letters because my hand writing is bad). 10mins later I received a 'certificate of registration' that states I will receive my card on the 6th October.

1pm: Feeling like I am on a roll , I head back to Shinjuku (where they filmed a lot of 'Lost in translation') to try and set up a bank account. Citibank said that I can set one up once I have my official card. Mizuhou said I need to be here 6 months and have a hanko stamp (Stamp with japanese name)

2pm: Then thought I would try Roppongi (lots of foreigners live there)...
SMBC said I need a translator and MUFJ said I need to be here 6 months.
After 4 attempts, I gave up! I will see if I can speed up my Alien Registration card, and then head back to Citibank or will try another bank tomorrow (Shinsei is another option). I need an account for my consultation and 3-day training session at Gaba next Tuesday so want to get onto this one stat!

3pm: After that I head back to Asakusa and have a leisurely stroll through an area which really reminds me of Jordan in Amsterdam. Lots of small streets, bikes, very small cafes and flower pots on the street, I suppose a result of high density living...I stop at a 7-11 style shop called Lawsons and discover it is a 105Y mini mart. You know I love a bargain, and brought some chips, iced green tea, 4 bananas and some sushi (yes, sushi form a 7-11 seems to be ok here) all for 420Y...ha, bargain.

So for tomoz on a bike and phone mission and think I will have a another crack at the bank thing. Maybe head to Ikea or Muji for some nice new linen for the big move on Friday.

Most said word today: Arigatougozaimasu