1 year anniversary

one year ago loaded with luggage and scared out of my mind

August marks my 1 year anniversary with Japan. I officially arrived in Japan on August 15th 2010, full of fear/wonder in my eyes. Its amazing how much I have changed since then. When I think back on my last year in Japan it seems like I have been here so much longer than a year. I guess its because I have done so much, traveling, moving, activities, work, and meeting fantastic people. But when I went back to Colorado to visit it was as if the last year never happened. I quickly settled into a routine, and easily fell back into the friendships that I had before I left.

Then I went back to Japan. My leaving America emotions were vastly different between this year and last year. Last year I was fully of excitement, and lacking expectations. I knew very little about Japan and even less of the Japanese language. The only time I had been in a non english speaking country was Mexico and even then I was with my parents. But this time I was alone, no family and no friends (yet.) Upon arriving in Japan I was dead tiered, super jet lagged, and completely overwhelmed. I never had to communicate with non-english speakers before, and I had spent all day on a Chinese airline, and trying to get through Japanese customs. I was mentally exhausted. Although I had a few hours to kill when I arrived in Hiroshima I went straight to my hotel room. As I lay on my bed trying to stay awake, I wondered what in the heck I had gotten myself into. I just moved to a country where I didn’t speak a lick of the language, and I knew absolutely no one. I didn’t want to say how scared and stressed I was at the time because I knew that I had gotten myself into this mess, and I wanted to stay positive. Fortunately things turned around quickly. I met most of my best friends in Japan within 24 hours of arriving, and started having a great time.

Flash forward to one year latter. I was sitting in the airport knowing exactly what to expect and how to communicate through each step of the transportation process. I knew where my home was. I had friends to meet up with when I arrived home. I was a bit sad leaving home (Colorado), I was leaving friends behind, and there were still friends that I didn’t get to see or call. I realized how much of my friends’ and families’ lives I had missed out on during this last year. I missed 4 weddings this summer, and have friends/family that are expecting babies in the next year. Being in America was so easy. If i had a question I could ask and understand the response. I could talk to anyone I wanted to. I could read signs, menus, notices. Roads had names and street signs.  But I was also ready to go back “home” where my homebase was. Ready to start working again. Ready to have adventures again. Ready to go to the beach. Ready to see my Japan friends. Leaving Colorado I was filled with some sadness and expectancy for more great things.

So here’s to another year. Who know’s where its going to take me. What kind of fantastic people I’m going to meet, and what kind of places I’m going to explore. Alright Japan I’m ready for round 2!

back to 日本

after spending a solid 3 weeks in the States, I’m back in Japan. It only took 25 hours, 3 planes, a bus, a train, and a taxi to get back to my japanese home. More on the state-side trip later. But in the meantime enjoy this little ditty…

 

Well Hello there America

I’m state-side for the next 3 weeks. I plan on eating as much mexican food as possible, climbing a few mountains, seeing lots of friends and family, and talking to as many random strangers as possible (just because I can.) It’s gonna be a good time.

Licensed.

It’s official I can continue to legally drive in Japan. Wait a minute, didn’t I buy a car way back in April, and I’m just now getting a driver’s license. D) all of the above. Until now I have been driving with an international driver’s license, but that is only good for the first year you live in Japan. After a year you have to get certified to drive by the Japanese government.

No big deal right? I’ve been driving in the states for 8 years, and Japan for 4 months. (no comments please on my early driving record) This should be easy right? Wrong. The Japanese driving test is crazy difficult. The average is 2.34 times, I’ve heard of people taking the test more than 10 times, and those who pass on the first try are legends.

At first the test seems straight forward, drive the course and don’t make any mistakes. Why is the test so difficult? Some people say that it is rigged, they want people to fail. They want people to pay money, they don’t want foreigners to get a license easily… etc. I don’t know the reasons, but the test is very specific as one JET explains: ” the practical test is not so much a test of your driving ability as it is a test of your ability to navigate a set course in the proper manner” To start things out it is intimidating to drive the course, although I had a map to study beforehand it is completely different when actually driving the course.

Then there’s the reasons to fail:
Didn’t check under the car: FAIL
Didn’t adjust the seat even if it was just right: FAIL
Didn’t adjust the mirrors: FAIL
Wore sandals: FAIL
Wore shorts: FAIL
Stopped at the crosswalk instead of slowing down: FAIL
Didn’t pull the car over close enough to the left side before turning: FAIL
Took the turn too wide (more than 70 cm away from the curb): FAIL
Didn’t check over your shoulder for cars that aren’t coming: FAIL
Stop for less than 5 seconds at the stop sign: FAIL
Hit the curb: FAIL
Drive less than 1 meter away from the “obstacle”: FAIL
Easing onto the brakes instead of pumping the breaks: FAIL
Grabbing the steering wheel from the inside instead of the outside: FAIL
Not speeding up enough on the straightaway: FAIL
Park at the wrong post: FAIL
Left tires not on the white line: FAIL

Here’s some more stories of failure:
“I pulled too far forward, well past the pole and that’s why I failed. The examiner never told me where to park, and didn’t let me try again”

“The examiner said I did everything perfect except  I forgot to check over my shoulder once out of twelve turns. That’s why I failed.”

“I failed once for not bending down low enough when checking under the car.”

Clearly I was nervous to take the test after hearing stories like these.

The number of mistakes you are allowed to makes depends on the prefecture and test examiner. I have friends that have passed on the first try, I didn’t pass until test number 3. The guy that I took the test with was on test number 8. I failed my first two test for not staying close enough to the left sides. I was lucky enough to find explanations online for what the evaluators were looking for, without those I would probably be taking the test at least 8 times. But for me, it was only 3. I’m average. I’m licensed, and really that’s all that matters. The Japanese road system is mine to explore.