The land of JAMBON and POUTINE. (Motto Late Post)

The first start of my global tour of adventure is Canada. And I must say the country has welcomed me with open arms, and large hotel pools, and equally as large prices for hotel food. ($14 for a pasta dish? Peas and ham, it was actually pretty good. And it came with a baller mousse, so I guess it was about fair pricewise) Just had they teary heartwarming Hollywood movie family send off. Ya’ know, the one where they say things like “We’ll miss you!” “Be safe!” “Don’t get pickpocketed or beaten up in an ally and stabbed” (MOVIE CROWD: “Awwwwwww!”)

 But seriously, it was cool that my family dragged themselves through traffic to see me off. Although my mom believes that my main mission is to go get me a Japanese wife and not actually study. And I get the feeling that she thinks that if I tell ANYONE that I am American that a group of urban Ninjas will jump out of nowhere and beat the living shit out of me. But since the Canadian people have been so kind to me I don’t think anyone would hate them, so I’ll just say that I’m from Canada, I’ll be covered. I’ve already started to cover my basis by learning words like Jambon, Fromage, and started my day with a small bucket of Poutine. At a glance, no one will EVER KNOW!

Aight well, I gotta get to practicing some Japanese and find where the hell the bathroom is in this place. (BTW, Montreal airport is very friendly, clean, and efficient. A+.) Well, next stop Newark.  I will miss the Poutine. <:’(  

PHEW! (LATE POST)

 

Phew! Packing done! Classes done! Heading to my hotel in Montreal so that I can get up bright and early to start my epic journey to the land of the rising sun! (You know what they say: “The early bird gets the 14 hour flight to Tokyo!”) My family decided to travel up in the car with me so that we can have dinner at the hotel. (FREE FOOD WOOT!) But we have to ride in an oven on wheel for three hours before that happens and that is where I am writing this from, the car which feels hot like the 5th level of hell!

WARNING!! HIJACKED BLOG ENTRY!!!!!

My sister Alex is just so cool. There is no one else I would prefer to hang out with on my way to Japan. She is rearry rearry awesome. I wish she could come with me! But alas, she must stay and rule over Vermont. I guess I will have to suffer the grief of so many months away from my fabulous little sister.

END OF WARNING!!!!!

My sister decided to be a smartass and hijack my computer while I went to buy some sunglasses at a gas station. I will just assume it’s a farewell letter and something for me to remember her sisterly mischief with. Anywho Just wanted to say that the JOURNEY TO FUTURE LAND has begun! Im kinda getting nausiauce trying to type while in a moving car so I’m going to wrap this up. We’re are heading up to Monteal so that I can catch my flight  even though I connect in Newark (They keep pulling me back in!) But after a 3 hour layover in Newark I am bound for the LAND OF THE RISING SUN! But right now im just stuck in traffic…..lame.

Crunch Time, Stress Time, Time for Japan

Whew! Just spent the whole day shopping for Japan. I have some new clothes and gray hairs to show for it. (>^<) (When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Which in Japan includes emoticons) So let me give you the low-down on what I got and why I got it so that anyone who may travel to Japan may learn from my mistakes, that being procrastination. About that,,,don't!

I have T-minus 5 days till takeoff and I have just started my pre-flight checklist. ("But five days in the summer Patrick? I'm sure you can squeeze in some prep time between your appointments at the beach and the bars.") Unfortunately, my schedule is pretty packed. Summer classes (With exams the day before I leave) which have me busy from 9am to 4 Monday through Thursday and I have Stand-up Comedy class from 6-8. Both of these things leave me with little time to get everything ready. It's doable, no doubt, just lots unneeded stress. I haven't been able to write ANYTHING for my comedy class for the past 2 weeks, and that just makes me feel all anxious (Which is the last thing you need while trying to make a room of strangers laugh)

Even though it's a sloppy race to the finish, it will only last 5 more days then I'M FREE! When I land in Tokyo I immediately catch another flight to Hiroshima to teach English for a month at a local YMCA before I move back to Tokyo to start school. One problem, I don't know my grammar. Now don't get me wrong, I showed up for the 4th Grade and I know how to use an Independent Clause. (Even though I just googled "Independent Clause" to make sure what it was.) I know I know, "This kind of man is shaping our nations youth?" Well, technically it's not MY nations youth, so i guess I'm off the hook. (But the Japanese youth are pretty much screwed) And I can always play the "Well I'm the native speaker!" card. Haha, but seriously...I suck at grammar. (Wonder what the folks at borders though when my sister set aside a copy of English Grammar: For Dummies.) But I'm excited. Its not often that I get to dress classy. See in Japan student treat their teachers with alot of respect and the teachers thenseleves should present themselves in a way that acknowledges that respect. So in other words, I went dress clothes shopping and i get to wear a SKINNY TIE! (I frigin' love skinny ties, and Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. Link at bottom) I also bought some new dress shoes that are pointed like a stereotypical male hosts shoes. Again, when in Rome. And even though I joke about the grammar thing I fully intend to cram grammar so that I can do my job right

I don't really know what I was typing about to begin with. This really just turned into a blog rant but me. Im pretty sure I did was paint a picture of a Japan with Male hosts with an addiction to emoticons and Japanese children watching Goukaiger while speaking horrid English. But yeah, make a packing list, check it twice, depending on what you bring immigration may be naughty or nice. (Unless you have a thing for rubber gloves...yeah) Bring copies of official paperwork of your reasons for being in the country and where you are planning to stay and for how long. But just make a list, buy the stuff on it, make sure you can fit it into your baggage (Leave room for omiyage that you will bring back) and, in general, get stuff done early! 

I will let ya'll know how things progress as I get closer to the land of the rising sun! I'm PUMPED! I have worked for this for over a year and have dreamed of going to Japan. I plan to do alot within the 6 months that I am there, visit some shrines, do some kareoke, climb Mt. Fuji, try some different foods, and make some new friends. T-minus 5 days! woohoo!

Kaizoku Sentai Goukaiger: http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-drama/kaizoku-sentai-goukaiger/

And to the Tokyo Trifecta (Fourfecta, Fivefecta, I dunno): Choose a Juuhachiban and practice, when you guys get into town we will hit up a Karaoke bar!