Life at Dormy Baraki: The good, the bad, and the awesome

So I finally have some free time to get caught up on my blog. Let's start with Saturday.

The good.

After an early breakfast, going back to bed, and waking up in time for lunch before heading to the train station, the three of us (without Lauren, since she is not an IES student) were planning to go to Kameido for a cultural activity we signed up for. Beforehand, we stopped at the konbini for lunch. Liz decided to get ramen (and they have water boilers there so you can make it while in the store) with Winnie the Pooh on the front. When she opened it, she found a pleasant surprise.

Naruto with a Pooh face? I include a question mark because I am not sure. She let me try one and it didn't taste like a naruto.

Mmm, nothing like a boiled Pooh head to satisfy your lunchtime cravings.

As we ate our lunch, the really cute Chinese college student that works there, whom we call "Chan-chan"...

Side Note: His name is actually just Chan, but Liz wanted to add the second "chan." This is not a repeat of his name, but one of many honorific suffixes that Japanese use when calling certain people within their social circles depending on the status of each person (like, you'd never call your teacher "chan"). Examples include -kun, -san, and -sama. San is very often translated to mister or miss. But this is inaccurate because people will commonly call their peers (not quite friends, yet, so they want to convey a certain level of formality and using no suffix implies that the two are closer than just acquaintances) and those who may have a lower status with -san as the suffix. And it can be used with first or last name. Mr. Miyagi called Daniel "Daniel-san" but he wasn't saying "Mr. Daniel." It's just not quite right. Sir may sometimes be a closer equivalent, but Miyagi isn't calling his student sir either. Chan is actually used by people in a much closer relationship and mostly for referring to younger children or girls. But, it's just a silly cutesy thing we say that he will never hear. There is no good English equivalent to any of the suffixes really, which is a point of contention for me when it is badly translated in anime. I get that there isn't much choice, but it still bugs me. Anyway, language lesson done.

As we ate our lunch, Chan-chan came by and gave us each a sheet full of coupons we can use at the konbini. He even gave us a fourth to give to Lauren. Such a sweetie.

Now it was time to head out. Elisabeth was assigned to the first group, but Liz and I were in the second, so she left first and we relaxed a bit before we took a later train. This cultural activity that we had signed up for is called edo kiriko. It is the art of glass cutting. Liz and I road the train to Kameido where we ran into other group members early, but could not find the right exit to meet up with the IES staff. Every single train station is different and when you are at one you have never been to, even following signs (which are also in English) will not always get you to the right place. It caused us to be a little late, but we had no further delays as we strolled through a quiet neighborhood street.

I saw a small food stand with an odd looking stack of three turtles made out of what looked like the hair from a coconut. Skylar wouldn't be surprised at all that I would notice this, but something about it made me curious as to why it was there. Then I realized that we were in Kameido. Kame means turtle. A pointless sidetrack to the story, but I thought it was interesting at least. >_>

I really enjoyed walking down this street, though, because the road has this wonderful median that splits the opposing traffic and we walked in the center, cobbled with bricks and surrounded on either side by trees and smaller bushes. This is not unique to Japan, of course, but it's not something I often see at home.

When we arrived at our destination, I was surprised to find myself standing in front of a quaint little Japanese house and an adorable elderly man smiling at us and beckoning us inside. "Douzo." The six of us (Shawn, LoLo, Liz, Raymond, Elias, and I) sat at their table as they introduced themselves and showed us a video that he was featured in showing his artwork. He had a few samples sitting on the table to show us.

He explained to us that he had been cutting glass since he was in his 20s. He is now in his 80s. After crystal glass (the kind he prefers to work with) became less and less available, he decided to retire but still makes them at home for fun. The video showed one of his small crystal glass bowls (a similar one was on the table) and said it went for over 136,000 yen. That's over 1500 US dollars. And the size of this bowl could not hold more than 2 small oranges.

Afterward, he gave us all generic-looking, clear glass (not crystal) ash trays to try glass cutting on our own. He had already drawn the base circles on the ash trays in advance. One large in the center of the ash tray with a smaller circle inside it. He marked spots on the circles dividing them into even eighths. We were all given rulers and instructed to draw straight lines through the marks to create an eight pointed star shape.

Once we had all finished, he asked us to come two at a time to his workshop, which he had set up in what looked like his garage. My spot at the table gave me the opportunity to go first. The garage was a tiny room packed to the ceiling with shelves of tools and the like. In the corner, I sat at this spinning blade above a square bin of water (perhaps mixed with lubricant) and surrounded on both sides and the back with walls to catch the splatter. I do not recall if he had ever explained what the blade was made of, but by the way it cut, I would think it was diamond coated.

The first two cuts he stood behind me and put his hands on mine, showing me how to press the glass onto the blade along the lines I had drawn to make the cut. Even at over 80 years old, his soft, wrinkly hands deftly and steadily held my own shaky hands as the glass was pushed into the blade. He then let me go, urging me to cut the other two lines on my own. Nervous, I pressed the glass on the blade lightly, afraid that too much force would cause the blade to cut right through the glass. He then told me I needed to push much harder. After the last two lines were done, he instructed me to cut smaller lines (these would radiate out to the smaller circle), dissecting through the middle of the space between each long line, crossing the center each time. Some of my lines were thicker in some places, thinner in others. I had to go back several times to even them all out.

He approved of the cuts after a few more times at the blade and then asked me to use a metal scrubber to take off what was left of the marks I had made. Lastly, I dried off the ash tray with a towel and marveled at my clear lack of skills. The lines don't all meet in the center very well. And some of them were longer or shorter than others. -_- Despite that, I could see myself enjoying this as a hobby. Like my crocheting, it is an interesting thing to keep my hands occupied. I doubt I could ever reach his skills though, even if I did it for 60 years.

Here is the whole ashtray. Since I don't smoke I will probably use it as a coaster...or to hold candy.

A closer shot so you can see in detail how bad I was at this.

While I waited for the rest of the group to cut their own ashtrays, I asked his family if I could take pictures of the sample pieces he had displayed on the table. They were happy to let me and even placed something white underneath them so they would show up better in the picture. And here you can see what a difference 60 years of experience can make.

A small bowl (same as the one that costs 136,000 yen in the video).

Sake cup.

A candle holder maybe?

A drinking cup.

Another drinking cup.

The math geek in me could not help admiring the straight cuts coming together in a perfect geometric pattern to create so many incredible designs, shapes, and patterns.

We were free to do what we wanted for the rest of the day once the group had finished. While I would have preferred to join Elias, Shawn, LoLo, and Raymond for some gyouza, I had to head over to the airport to file my claim with the airline regarding my camera.

I had received an email from my uncle the day before informing me that the only way I can file a claim is to do so in person at the airline, with my baggage claim number, my boarding passes, and my passport. I would need to sign a form and then fax a claims report to United Airlines in the US. Finally! I can get this all sorted out, get reimbursed, and buy me a fancy new camera. Liz was kind enough to accompany me to the airport because the only way we could get there was ride the bus from the train station and the only time I ever road the bus was from the airport when I had first landed. Yeah, maybe I am a wuss, but the thought of getting lost alone in a foreign country brings to mind too many horror movies.

The bad.

Keep in mind that it costs almost $30 for a round trip to the airport from the closest train station. It is also a 40 minute ride. We headed to the bus stop, which is right outside the station, and tried to find the right bus. Unsure which it was, we came up to a kind-looking elderly security guard talking very sweetly to the girls lined up at a bus stop. He appeared to be making sure they were all right. We walked up to him as he finished speaking to the last girl and Liz (she is much more brave than I am talking to people) said, "Sumimasen, narita kuukou ni ikitai--" which means, "Excuse me, we want to go to Narita Airport--" and she did not have a chance to say any more than that because he put up his hand to stop her, said "Chotto matte," meaning "wait a moment," and WALKED AWAY. Just left us there, shocked and offended. I remember looking at Liz and asking, "Did that JUST happen?" Liz simply looked resigned and said, "That's not the first time it's happened to me." The Japanese pride themselves on offering some of the best customer service in the world. Except for a few odd starers, I have never been blatantly blown off or ignored. Nor have I seen fellow IES students experience it. I guess there are assholes in every culture. I am only sorry that Liz had to be the target...and more than once. :/

Of course, I wish I could have seen this as a sign of worse things to come. We then went to a couple of younger girls standing near another bus stop and Liz asked again in Japanese if they knew which bus goes to the airport. The girl looked genuinely confused, shrugged her shoulders, and said in very clear English, "I'm sorry, I don't speak Japanese."

!!!

The two Asians we pick out of the entire population of Asians surrounding us, and they end up being Chinese and speak English. What are the odds! And it turns out, they were waiting for the same bus, so we just followed them.

Forty minutes later we are wondering around the airport trying to find the United Airlines counter. The lady at the information desk points me toward a large lobby area with rows of desks where it appears people would check in for each airline. I went to the desk and told the lady I needed to sign a form to file a claim for a lost item from my luggage. And here is the second sign that things would get worse. She tells me I have to call a specific number to report the loss and when I start to ask her where I can do this in person, her phone rings. She pulls it out of her pocket, doesn't look at me or say anything, turns around, and answers her phone. She asks another employee to give me the number. Is Saturday the day when all the assholes are working? This second employee gives me the number and I try to explain to him that I was told I needed to sign a form at the counter in person, not call a number. I am unsure how much he understood, but all he would tell me is that I must call the number to file a claim. And that there are phones downstairs I can use to call for free.

Long story short, because I really don't want to relive it emotionally again, the lady I talked to on the phone explained to me that I only had 48 hours after landing to file a claim, not 35 days. It seems that airline policies differ in each country, despite it being the SAME airline. And while they do have a counter, it is located before the customs checkpoint. Because, you know, EVERYONE unpacks and looks through their suitcases right after they pick them up from baggage claim. Sigh. I have contacted my aunt and uncle and we are figuring out what we need to do next. I will keep everyone apprised of the situation as things continue to unfold...or become even more convoluted. -_-

I have been on the other side of customer service. I know what it's like to deal with people whose issues usually lie within their own power to solve and they just need to be taught how to do so, but some expect you to wave a magic wand to make it all better. There are times when you simply can't help them. I get that. I always give the benefit of the doubt when I am the customer seeking assistance. But this...this is the first time where I feel very strongly that they are making this process as hard as possible to get through in order to make you not want to do it and therefore allows them to keep their money.

And with that, I am done ranting.

Sunday. The awesome.

OMG DISNEYLAND. I have never been to any Disney park in my life, so this was the feeling of fulfillment that my inner child was yearning for. On top of that, I can now say my first time was in Japan!

We woke up ridiculously early in the morning in order to get there when the park opened. We wanted to have as much time as possible. The rain that started sometime the night before had not let up. But it was a light rain, something that we may call a thunderstorm in Texas >_> so we just pulled out our umbrellas and did not let it dampen our spirits. No pun intended. After breakfast at the konbini, we walked across the parking lot to cross the street. A car zoomed by, and just like in the movies, it hit a deep puddle near the curb and drenched us. Well...it probably wasn't THAT bad, but it sucked. For that second time that weekend, I said, "Did that JUST happen?" Elisabeth was lucky enough to be behind us and didn't get much of the splash. Liz and Lauren got it the worst though.

Already wet, and we hadn't even gotten on the train yet.

We met up with Lauren's friends, Shoko and Kellie, at Nishi Funabashi. Then, to Maihama Station, the entrance to Disneyland.

So every station I have been to I have heard this odd chime that seems to play in the speakers when your train stops and people are entering and exiting. I have not picked up on why this chime occurs, as an announcer will also warn you, along with blinking signs that say that the train is arriving. It is usually the same chime at most stations. I think I may have heard two other different ones as well. But when we got to Maihama, the chime was "It's a small world." While I don't love the song, it suddenly felt like we had gone down the rabbit hole and were entering in Wonderland. At a certain point in the park, this would end up becoming true!

We walked across a huge bridge, surrounded by tons of other people who were also completely unphased by the nonstop rain. Just a sea of umbrellas all in different sizes and colors, flowing like the tide to flood into Disneyland. An interesting thing I want to point out now that I have mentioned it, is that umbrellas in Japan are themselves a fashion statement. In America, they are mostly functional, and usually only used in the rain. The word for umbrella is "kasa" in Japanese, also referring to the rice hats we see in Asian culture. The rice hats are the original kasa and used to shield people from the sun while toiling away in the rice fields. So it would make sense that they would also use the contemporary ones to shade them from the sun, which is something I have already mentioned. What I never noticed until the heavier rains came was how diverse umbrella designs really are in this country. Some women I have seen will have umbrellas that match their outfits. I started wondering if they had a closet full of umbrellas of different colors along with their shoes, one to match every outfit they wore. I wouldn't be surprised.

Just leaving the train station, we can see the tunnel entrance leading to the park. And Liz can't hold back her inner child.

I have to apologize again for the poor quality of the pictures. Instead of the heat and humidity, it was the constant rain and overcast skies that confused the camera. Low lighting is not a good friend to this camera and we weren't allowed to use flash in most of the attractions. It is wonderfully convenient and easy to carry around, and I got some great shots out of it. But I would trade that in for my bigger, bulkier Nikon and its giant camera bag any day if it meant I could take photos that could show you things the way I see them. It is making me seriously consider buying that refurbished model.

Such a grainy image! But the best I could do without stopping to adjust the settings and getting lost among the crowds.

Wow, I am really here! Yay for student discounts!

Halloween, Disney style.

Some of you may wonder why I chose to wear my dress. By the end of the day everyone was pretty soaked, all the way down to our shoes. But the skirt, always flowing freely in the wind, stayed relatively dry, and if it did get wet, it wasn't touching my legs but was shielding them from the wind, so I didn't really get that cold. After me, left to right: Kellie, Lauren, Shoko, and Elisabeth.

ZOMG THE CASTLE!

Getting closer!

Kellie, Lauren, and Shoko

A cute picture with Liz and Elisabeth, but I should have specified I wanted the whole castle in the background. :/ Oh well.

So much Halloween awesomeness!

It would have been nice looking to sit down, but everything was soaked.

Out first ride while waiting to use the fast pass for another ride. Can't quite remember which one. It was cute and silly. But something about all the characters speaking in Japanese made the scary parts much less scary.

The Red Queen's garden! But I didn't get a chance to go in. :/

Waiting for the very cute 3D Philharmagic show in a lobby that was designed to look like an opera house, we noticed that the light fixtures were made from french horns!

Of course we had to go here. It was awesome. I am amazed at what they can do with animatronics these days. And the translucent ghosts that disappeared and reappeared inside looked real. I can't even begin to fathom how they pull such a convincing lighting trick!

Yes, we went on the It's A Small World ride. Cute, but slightly creepy at the same time. And, I know how to sing it in Japanese now.

Waiting in line inside.

Cute wall murals.

As mentioned before, I wasn't allowed to use the flash inside the ride, and with us constantly moving, it was impossible to get a clear shot. So while I made several attempts, none were good enough to bother posting here.

I decided to include the last one, where the creepy cartoon animals all said goodbye to you in a ton of different languages.

A cute display of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that we passed on our way to wherever.

Westernland....or something.

Butter and soy sauce popcorn. Strangely delicious.

Rain doesn't even stop the parade here.

Waiting in line to see the Winnie the Pooh ride. Our next fast pass was to one of the rollercoasters, but we had at least two hours to kill before we could use them. But I couldn't understand why the Pooh ride had the longest wait. What was so awesome about it that so many people wanted to go? I would learn soon enough.

Kellie, with surprisingly the only rainbow umbrella there.

Biggest book I have ever seen.

Finally made it inside. It felt like literally walking into the book. What a creative way to design the entrance.

One of the few animatronic pictures inside the ride that came out clear enough to post.

I couldn't understand everything the characters were saying, but the basic premise is that Pooh is looking for honey. (What else is new?) But then he eats a ton of it, and falls asleep.

And we find ourselves in what appears to be Pooh's drug-induced dream, filled with dancing and singing heffalumps.

I only have two things to say. What is in that honey?! And no wonder why you keep going back for more!

I must say that this ride was surprisingly fun and crazy. I would ride it again for sure.

Sticking close together under a giant umbrella to share some body warmth. With two cameras on us, I wasn't sure which one was taking the picture.

Safari boat ride!

Tour guide. She was very cute and enthusiastic.

All animatronics, of course, but still very real looking.

Liz, trying on a Minnie style bow.

Passing by the queen's garden again, but still didn't have a chance to go in.

Splash Mountain...less splashy than they would have you believe.

Lauren and Liz, hugging each other for warmth again.

Can't remember what this is, but I thought it was cool looking.

I eventually bought a rain coat because I got tired of carrying the umbrella, and it was helpful with outdoor rides. It was also warm, so I shared it with Liz.

The Monsters Inc. ride was set up just like the lobby in the movie. So awesome.

Trying on the Stitch hat.

Failed attempt to use the night settings in the camera still yielded some cool effects.

The life-size Buzz was so real looking! He moved very smoothly and his face moved as he talked, just as if he was pulled straight out of the movie. You can't tell in the picture, but that face was 3D and showing expressions so realistically. I was extremely impressed.