Something A Little Bit Different

As some of you likely know, shortly before I left for Japan I began having some semi-serious issues with depression-like sadness. It began right before Christmas last year, built up until probably around mid-February, and then slowly started to get more tolerable (I'm not going to say "better" because it wasn't showing any sign of actually leaving, I was mostly just getting better at dealing with it). We aren't really sure what triggered it, although the cessation of birth control medication is a key suspect (I didn't stop for any real reason, I just ran out). What we think may have happened is that the hormones in the birth control leveled out my natural hormone system, which has always been a bit funky. So, when I stopped taking it, my body got a little wonky and could no longer deal with anything remotely sad in any way. It was no fun.

[I was going to put a picture of birth control here, but then looking at pictures of birth control made me feel a little wonky, so I decided not to do that. I think I may have associated them with the sadness in my head. It was odd.]

I knew I had to do something, even if it wasn't a guaranteed fix, just to keep my spirits up. I refused to entertain the idea of antidepressants, partially because I did not feel that my case was serious enough, and partially because I did not want to become dependent on them as I had apparently been with the birth control. The latter of these reasons is also why I didn't just immediately get back on the pill.

Instead, I decided to try some other methods. And by "some" I mean "literally everything I could think of that didn't involve hormones." I focused more on eating healthy and getting exercise. I started taking vitamin D. I became acutely aware of the time, and refused to watch any sort of media that was more than G rated after 7:00pm. I avoided anything scary, disturbing, troubling, or the like, as I knew they would send me into a saddened state. I talked to friends, family, the school counselor, and anyone who seemed like they might have another solution I could try. I became strong acquaintances with the folks working at the Student Health Center when I made daily visits to their office to do homework under a giant artificial sun (I eventually bought my own- they're called SAD lamps, for Seasonal Affective Disorder, and they were actually quite useful.)

His name is Steve.

The point to all of this, or why I'm bringing it up now, is that I have somewhat happy, albeit inconclusive, news. Since my arrival to Japan, I have not experienced even once the sort of sadness I'd become accustomed to facing. It has now been almost a month since I've arrived. This is definitely a positive thing, as I for one am delighted to not be continuously plagued by the creeping fingers of origin-less sadness, but at the same time, I don't know what to think of it. There are two parts to my doubts. First off, coming here was a big change, and this could still be the culture shock/honeymoon period/what have you sticking around and making me feel okay. In that case, we'll know in another month or so whether or not I have cause to be worried.

The other concern is that maybe it won't start again, maybe I'll be safe, maybe I won't get sad and cry every night for no reason at all- until I get home. What if, when I return, its like reversing a spell? What if it was just on hold, in stasis, waiting for me to step off my plane so it could embrace me once again? I don't think there is anything I can do about this worry, nor any way to test it short of coming home early (which is definitely not happening) so I suppose I will merely do my best to ignore it until the time comes to leave. At least that's exponentially easier to do when I'm not stuck focusing on everything bad in the world. It really is a lovely change of pace.

Coffee, Scones, and Demons, Oh My!

Everybody, I am happy to report that I have located the peanut butter! Not great peanut butter, mind you, I would still love to get some from people stateside (Adam's crunchy, unsalted, if possible), but it will suffice. It was hidden away at the import store at the mall- methinks I will be spending quite a bit of money there. Possibly exclusively on peanut butter.

Incidentally, I have become entirely addicted to warm vending machine coffee. It costs 60¥, comes in a heated can, and is probably the single worst dining habit I have ever formed, but it is oh so mediocrely delicious.

I can't even read the ingredients label on the back to know how awful it is, because I don't know the characters for "artificial flavoring."

Within the realm of food, yesterday, I managed to make scones. Delicious, sweet scones that I baked in the- wait for it- microwave oven. Yes, the microwave oven. There are no real ovens here, they are a lie, you will be forever dissapointed if you try to find one. So people get creative. I've heard tales of rice-cooker cakes, microwave oven cupcakes, and have personally participated in a frying-pan pizza party. It was delicious, if mildly saddening in a soul-crushing sort of way.

So yes, I made scones in a microwave oven. And they were delicious. I ate some for lunch, traded some for deviled eggs and chocolates, shared some with my cooking buddy, and brought some to my friends who were outside filming for a class all day. I'm pretty sure they were hailing me as a God when I showed up, they'd been working all day and suddenly there were fresh warm scones being pressed into their hands. I was somewhat surprised by the amount of enthusiasm with which they were received.

Lots of enthusiasm.

[Also, here is the scone recipe for those interested: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/scones/  I guarantee it will be one of the best things you've ever tasted. But if you do decide to make it, be sure to put the egg in the measuring cup before you begin measuring the milk-otherwise it will be too wet. The dough should be a little sticky but still pretty workable. Also yes. It does need that much baking powder. How dare you question the majesty of these scones' creation?]

When I went to the store to get the flour for making them, I decided to check out the alcohol section (less than a month til I'm legal in this country, woohoo). What I found there was, well, interesting, to say the least. 

I'm honestly not sure if the "Merica" this refers to is 'Merica! -cue slideshow of eagles stars and stripes with the national anthem playing in the background-
... Or the 600 AD Anglo-Saxon kingdom, Mercia. Either way, I'm going to say it's a bit of an odd branding decision.

Oh, speaking of odd advertising decisions, I must tell you of the 飲み放題 (nomihoudai)- "all you can drink" establishment I patronized last week. Outside, it looked roughly like a normal restaurant. But inside... each of the individual rooms was made to look like an ice cave. The bathroom had plastic stalactites hanging from the ceiling. And then there were the Namahage. These, for your edification, are a type of youkai, a Japanese folklore monster, who appear mainly to scare children out of being lazy- by threatening them with knives and yelling at them. They are quite the popular thing, apparently, as this bar had a pair on call to torment each group of incoming customers.

One of them was kind enough to pose for a picture for me. 

On an entirely unrelated note, my dorm is doing door-decorating contests. There's one down the hall from me that I thought was going to be the undisputed winner...

That little table thing in the middle has a foam hamburger and fries, and a full menu- with prices.

... Until yesterday, when I walked past it again and realized that their neighbors across the hallway had taken up the challenge. 

This would be a paper representation of the traditional folk story "Momotaro." On the next door over there are more of the red and orange Oni (demon) creatures, but they wouldn't fit in the frame. 

Personally, I'm rooting for the Momotaro group, mostly because their illustrations/cut outs are adorable and very well done. Although I do appreciate the intensity with which both groups took up this unrewarded challenge. It's quite- well, maybe not inspiring, but at least commendable. 

Will Work For Candy

Apparently, it's illegal to disable the camera shutter sound on iPhones in Japan. Specifically Japan. Guess I better plan ahead and not be trying to write these at- what time is it? 11:52pm.

I'm going to write anyways because this is important business. And I have important things to tell you all about. Like how today, I got paid in candy to appear on Japanese television role-playing a business meeting with a Japanese banker.

This is the box the candies came in. I know it looks like an olive oil tin wrapped in a sardine label. Bear with me here.

See, candies! Would I ever lie to you?

See, AIU has a program, the Community Outreach Service (COS for short- don't worry, there are abbreviations for everything here, I will keep you informed). COS events are basically community service activities that range from helping bankers learn English (what I did), to playing with small Japanese children (apparently these ones fill up very quickly) to doing a one-night home-stay at a local farm. Usually, the participants get paid in some sort of coupon, ¥1,000 in bookstore credits is a fairly standard fare from what I've heard. But that only happens once you've acquired a work permit, which I cannot do until May. I'm not sure why, it has something to do with timing and ID cards and bureaucracy. Whatever the reason, in the mean time, they pay the unofficial volunteers in candy. I'm excited to see what other odd treats I can collect this way.

(The candies tasted like Ramune soda by the way- they were pretty delicious).

As far as schoolwork itself goes, I'll have a better report to give later on, but so far it's been a real mix. I have the one amazing class (Conference Interpretation) that I really hope I can keep taking, the slightly intimidating but very necessary and interesting-looking Reading Comprehension, and then the class that I fought for tooth and nail, Japanese 300.

I decorated all my workbooks with homemade rubber stamps and Moomin stickers.

What happened was that upon my arrival to Akita, I, along with all the other 88 incoming exchange students and a couple odd returning ones, took a Japanese placement test. I got a score on it that placed me somewhere between the 201 class and the 300 (this is the class jump, don't ask me why the numbers look so weird. It goes 101,102, 103, 201, 300, 305, 309, 400... etc. It makes no sense). Due to some misunderstandings and the stubbornness of both me and the teachers, I ended up having an hour-long sit-down meeting with three of them to discuss my fate. They wanted me in 201. I did not want me in 201. We had what you could call a conflict of interest.

After an hour or so of ineffectively trying to explain (in Japanese) my desire and confidence surrounding the mystical 300 level class, they had nearly convinced me to switch my sights to 201 simply to gain reprieve of this meeting. But were I to do so, I would also have to drop several other classes I was signed up for, classes I was very excited to take.

 Fortunately, just the day before, I'd been talking to some friends while one of them tried to convince the other that she was good enough to get into the class he was in, and that she should stand up to the teachers about it and fight her way in. She kept denying it, and he kept insisting that she could do it. He was very stubborn and emphatic on this point.

So, during this meeting, when I was about to reach my breaking point and give in to the pressures of these three Japanese teachers well-meaning me into a stupor, I began to hear his voice in the back of my head. It was just a little voice, cheering me on, telling me I could do it. But it was enough. I rallied myself, and I fought. I said I wanted to do 300. I just nodded when my adviser gave me his grim prediction for my future in the class. I didn't complain when they told me I'd be on probation, and if I didn't do spectacularly well the teacher would have leave to give me extra homework assignments. And when I left his office, despite my frayed nerves and quaking hands, I felt good. Very good. I'd stood up for myself. I'm not sure if I've ever really had the bravery to do that so fiercely before. 

On the last day of class, I think I'll take that friend out to dinner. He deserves some thanks.

始まります！

I think it is fair to say that I have now been thoroughly matriculated. I dressed up fancy, attended the ceremony, and listened to the admittedly awesome violin/piano performance duo who played for the incoming students. It was quite the affair.

     

I even got a picture with the school mascot!

            I also got a pretty decent picture with some friends. (From left to right, that's Ryoko, me, Pierre, and Yuya). We look so classy.

 [[Note: That is my vest Pierre is wearing, and I tied Yuya's tie (twice). I am apparently Komachi hall's resident older brother figure.]]

After matriculation, classes began within the next few days. I am currently in Japanese 300, Japanese Self-Practice, Japanese Reading Comprehension, Japanese-English Conference Interpretation, and I hope to sign up today for Kanji Consolidation. Yes, it is a lot of Japanese. Seeing as that's why I came here, it seemed like a reasonable choice. There was a GLBT Laws and Activism class that I really wanted to take, but it conflicted with my core language course. Ah well. Perhaps next semester I can sign up for it.

So far, Conference Interpretation is by far my favorite class. I wasn't sure what it would be like going in (and in fact, I still have little to no idea what the actual coursework will be) but the first class yesterday made me realize why I'm happy I came here. The teacher is a very elderly Japanese man, who is apparently the leading expert in Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation and translation in Japan. This is the last class he will be teaching to undergraduate students, so I am very lucky to be in it. Also, my class size is 5. There's me, a Norwegian exchange student, and three Japanese students. The course is taught in English so far but we have textbooks in both languages, so I'm not sure how this will go down. I'm sure it will be great though, the professor was everything I wanted in a teacher. 

Within the realms of interpreting and translation, last night I went to a bookstore and found Moomintroll, a series of Swedish children's books that my mother read to me in English when I was a child, in Japanese. Naturally, I had to buy at least one (my friend Bart bought all 3 that they had, apparently he read them when he was learning English). 

"Moomin tani no natsumatsuri" is what that says, which translates to "Moomin Valley's Summer Festival." I believe this is the equivalent to the English translation "Moominsummer Madness." The English writers were apparently slightly more prone to alliteration.

In other news, guys, I got a phone! A real phone, like the kind grown ups and normal people have! It has internet and everything! I'm pretty excited about this, if you can't tell. 

It's an iPhone 5C, because that is actually all they had that wasn't either $600 or garbage. Also it's yellow :)

So, yeah, that is basically all that I've been up to (aside from arguing with 3 teachers today for an hour in Japanese about my ability to take the 300 level class I've been attending. I won, but I'm basically on probation.)

Mail me letters!
::UPDATE::
As I do not actually know if the shorter address I posted is functional, I'm going to recommend going with the long one despite its somewhat cumbersome size. Here it is again:

Naomi Barnett
Komachi Hall room 437

Akita International University 
193-3 Aza-Okutsubakidai, 
Tsubakikawa, Yuwa 
Akita City, Akita 010-1211 Japan

So yes, sendy sendy. I will reciprocate any and all.

Komachi Komachi Komachi

Greetings, from the Komachi dorms of Akita International University, in Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan.

By which I mean, hey, I've arrived!

Dorm life in Komachi is pretty similar to that in the Fairhaven Dorms, for those of you who are familiar with it. For those who aren't, there's a common lounge where everyone hangs out with no particular goals or purpose (unless you're Chris, who has evidently decided to meet and become friends with every single person here, or Masato, whom I just saw rush through with a very determined gait and a look of mild panic his eyes). I've met lots of people here, and in the dining hall. Everyone is very friendly.

Speaking of the dining hall, the ladies who work there, who speak next to no English, have already learned my face. Upon my arrival to the meal counter, a look of recognition will cross their faces an someone will say, "ah, bejitarian!" I get special meals... they're mostly just rice and vegetable but I do really appreciate them.

Oh, also in this school- there are vending machines EVERYWHERE. This is the Komachi lounge I was talking about earlier:.

I like the ¥80 green tea

 

 

Yesterday was very eventful. I took my placement test (I've been called back today for additional verbal testing, because apparently I'm confusing) had lots of orientations, and played soccer on the main lawn. Actually, the soccer warrants some more explanation. I was exiting a building upon completion of my third orientation of the day, and noticed that there were people playing on the main lawn. There was a group with badmitten rackets and a birdie, a few people with a Frisbee (I almost got hit with it) a group of girls playing with a soccer ball. . . and a large number of boys who were actually playing soccer. The girls invited me to join them when I walked past, and I was torn for a moment because I'd met some of them before and wanted to become better friends. But, and Opa, you'll be proud of me, I wanted to play real soccer. So I politely declined, grabbed my running shoes, and joined the boys. It was the most fun I've had since I got here.

 

 I also got to draw everyone at my table during an orientation event, because we were instructed to draw ourselves and they liked my drawings.

 

On  an unrelated note, I want to impress upon you all how utterly tiny this campus is. I thought Western was small. Its so easy to get around here, because nothing's more than a minute's walk away! On Saturday there's free shuttle service to town, so I'll find out how big Akita city is then. I'm excited for it.

 

 

This is the library. It's very pretty.

 





 For those of you who want to contact me by mail (please do) I will list my address below. Sorry it's so long. Apparently, the school has its own Zip code (cause it's kinda out in the sticks...)

 

Naomi Barnett

Komachi Hall Room 437

Akita International University

193-3 Aza-Okutsubakidai

Tsubakigawa, Yuwa

Akita City, Akita 010-1211

Japan

 

 

Send me letters!