This is one of my favorite views from our apartment. Although it rained the majority of the day I still enjoyed my perch and people watching from above. Tomorrow Brandon leaves on a road trip for a week. I believe they are heading to the Tokyo area but I'm not exactly sure. I am some what dreading this next week without him but I'm hoping I find some things to do to keep me occupied. The weather is looking pretty decent after tomorrow, around 60 degrees, so that should be warm enough to get out and at least walk the island. Besides that I have plans to find the six story craft store in Sannomiya and join the gym/join a class.
I just finished making spaghetti casserole for dinner. It wasn't looking so good to start because I couldn't find a casserole dish but I've learned in our baseball life that sometimes you just have to be adaptable. I also learned that mom is never to far away and can still give great advice for alternatives from around the world. A giant broiler pan works like magic. Now I'm just waiting on the boss to get home from work to eat seconds. What? I had to make sure it was edible first.
Talk soon.
Also if you ever want to email me, that would be great! I feel like this blog is a one way mirror and I can't see what y'all are doing on the other side (of the world). Fill me in please. As always thanks for following along its super encouraging and we don't feel so far away when we know that you know what we are up to.
Truthfully, I feel like that was a cheap way of getting out of posting, using lots of video and pictures. This morning I was a bit frazzled trying to make sure I had all cameras charged, internet devices, phones, lenses ready to go for the game, and to make sure there was space on all devices for pics/video. Plus I've been putting off chores around here and felt like I had to do everything at the same time. I really wanted to post because it had been a few days so I threw something together rather quick.
About the Sumo match, did you watch the videos? What did you think?! We thoroughly enjoyed it. I apologize for our commentary during the match, I believe I used the words atomic wedgie and for that, I'm sorry. I also forgot my favorite part or actually least favorite part but blog worthy none the less. I had heard several times before we came over here about the bathrooms and how they are often a hole in the ground and you have to squat. Yesterday we made it to the gymnasium and of course we all hit the Johns before we found our seats. TMI? Yes, probably so but it's the culture and I don't want to leave anything out. (Just wait until I have nothing to write about and we discuss the bidets). Back to the story, I had used the facility at the baseball stadium last week and it was normal so I assumed these stories I had been told were not quite accurate. As I walk in, mind already thinking about the match and not about toilets, I find a hole in the ground.
I panicked. There was no where to set my purse, or hang my coat, and I even questioned if I could hold it for another three or so hours. Then you realize you have to do what you do and move on with it. When I told the boys they laughed. Oh America, you spoil me with commodes and things.
After the match we went to a local famous Ramen shop and it was quite tasty. I had the hardest time with my chopsticks. I did catch several Japanese onlookers staring but I'm hoping it was just because there were three Americans, not because I couldn't get a bite of noodles to my mouth.
Again, my apologies for leaving out these fun (funny) details. I'm doing my best.
Brandon is away for the evening. They had a banquet for the fans or something so I headed home as soon as he finished pitching. I wish that I could edit video and turn this into an awesome highlight reel but it's just me and the video camera so you'll have to take what I give you.
I never ever do this but... I thought for a change of pace, lets give it a shot. Sorry about my southern twang I have NO idea where I picked that up. The reason the girl behind me is wearing a mask is because illness prevention. You see tons of people wearing them and it really isn't a bad idea.
It's a bit lengthy and as soon as I cut off the video he strikes out the third out. The last batter you see is Bryan Lahair former Chicago Cub. I needn't say more.
So today was fun until the lady at the grocery store didn't give me any bags. I didn't know how to ask for more and when she pointed to them I shook my head yes. Apparently that isn't enough go get more than one bag. I started stuffing groceries in my purse and I bought a sweatshirt from the team shop so I threw some stuff in there to. By the time I made it to the 12th floor I couldn't feel my fingers from the two bags I did have. But those are the little things and I shouldn't complain.
Not sure what is on tap for the rest of the week except Brandon leaves on a WEEK long road trip Thursday. I'm hoping any (all) of my American friends and family want to have Skype (larn.levy) dates or Google hangouts (HINT HINT) I'll even stay up late to see all of you lovely people! I'm going to be lonely so help a girl out. I need to know what is going on back home.
Birthday shout out to our Mema back in Alabama --- Happy Birthday we love and miss you!
Hey there, I've been skipping out on you this past weekend. It was super low key and doesn't deserve a post on its own. Saturday I met one of the other wives on the island we walked around. It was a gorgeous day and loved getting even more familiar with the place and to make friends. You always need friends. I cooked teriyaki chicken with rice but the rice didn't turn out as nice as it did the first time. Before you ask how one messes up rice let me tell you our rice cookers buttons are in Japanese. Sunday I was super lazy for the first time since I got here already one week ago. Where is the time going? We went out for pizza for dinner and that was that.
Monday we woke up early, I made breakfast for us. Most the time Brandon is up and out of here before I start moving in the morning. I guess some things never change. After breakfast we met with Fuji, one of the three team interpreters. We went to the bank and added me to the account and set up an ATM card. Then we left the island to go register my residence card and set me up with health insurance. It was fun to get out and about not using public transportation. Fuji took us in his car and Brandon and I always joke that his truck would never make it over here. Most of the cars are half that size.
After we took care of those errands we at lunch at the apartment and then around two headed to our very first Sumo match. It was Brandon and I, our neighbor/teammate Vinny, and another of the team's interpreters, quickly turning friend, Yohei. (Yo Hey) None of us had ever been so we were all pretty excited.
We had fun. It was a great experience and I'll just leave you with pictures and video.
Brandon is pitching today so I will hopefully have more video of him pitching for you all soon.
Love and miss everyone!!!
****Warning: Pictures below contain LOTS of skin.****
There is a coffee shop close by and I've been wanting to go since we got here but I've just been nervous to go on my own and order something. Brandon doesn't drink coffee so my chances of getting him to go with me are small. I planned to get a coffee and then go for a walk to check out our home island for the next several months. Before I go somewhere I have started to look up words and phrases I'll need to communicate. If I do this early enough in the day I can walk around the apartment practicing out loud and checking my notes. I know that seems like a lot of work but I do it and it's fun.
It was a bit scary but the girl at the counter loved that I was trying to learn and even though it wasn't perfect, I made sure to ask her to tell me in Japanese the correct way so that I can learn. Again the people here are all so nice!
city hill / honey orange latte (rate hani orenji) new favorite!
rokko island views
Then I walked for a while around the island. I walked down to the water front which is beautiful and once the weather warms up I can imagine a lot more people will be there. Also spotted this café and put it on my list for places to go.
feel / water front
I continued on around the path made for walking and running just to see what was here. I came across the prettiest little place called city hill and just in time too. These trees were in full bloom and the smell was amazing.
I didn't make it around but a quarter of the island because I wanted to meet Brandon at the train station but there is plenty of time to check it out. Instead of cooking dinner we went out for Ramen. I tried the Miso ramen and will likely get something different next time. I wasn't too bad with the chopsticks and I am excited to keep trying out new little restaurants in the future.
I know it's soon to say this but I really love our little island. We already have something super fun planned for next week but I'm not going to tell you what it is! I'll give you an hint: Brandon planned it.
Happy weekend everyone!
Special birthday shout out to my big brother --- Happy Birthday Jake! xo
Konichiwa! I decided to take yesterday (Thursday/day 4) off from exploring. When I got out of bed my calves were extremely stiff. I guess I'm not used to walking everywhere and I haven't been wearing the comfiest shoes. I didn't think laying low would be appropriate all day because I could see myself forming a bad habit. I don't want to become a hermit. We were out of milk so I knew I had to go down to the market and also had to figure out something for dinner. The previous two nights we had hamburgers with macaroni and cheese and chicken alfredo. It was food but nothing special and I knew that I was going to get burnt out really quickly trying to cook American style food in Japan. I messaged a friend of my sisters who is currently living in Tokyo and I knew that she would have some excellent tips, recommendations, and resources. I was right. She explained some popular dishes and some of her favorites and directed me to several websites and recipes they have tried. I made my grocery list and attempted to have the Japanese pronunciations with me. I didn't think I would have a problem finding most items but just in case. In my head I knew I wasn't making a quick grocery run. I was there to scope it out to see what they had. I tried to find as many English labels as I could and if I couldn't, I picked an item based on instinct and guessing. I believe I looked for green onions for over 10 minutes and finally settled on chives. As soon as I did I walked past the little English sign say green onions.
I had planned to make curry and rice and some gyoza. Gyoza is a fried dumpling with cabbage and ground pork. In the meat aisle I was looking for stew meat and ground pork. I have never bought stew meat back home so I knew this was going to be tricky. Before I went to the market I watched a quick video on cooking curry and rice and I was looking for the meat that looked like that from the video. There was NO English labels and at one point I think I stood there waiting for magic to happen and the meat I needed would just jump into my cart. Then I saw a picture that I knew was curry and I assumed that was near the meat that was used for curry. I know that seems pretty obvious but over here they use all parts of the animal and I really, really didn't want to make a mistake. Oh did I mention I invited our neighbor, another American player, over for dinner? No pressure.
Next I needed ground pork and thankfully for pictograms (cow cartoon = beef, cow and pig = mixed beef and pork) I assumed the other without a label of any sorts was pork. I thought about asking and I even had my cheat sheet but I didn't.
Then I had to find everything else I needed, sesame oil, vegetable oil, vinegar, soy sauce. And just like home of course there is cholesterol free, fat free, low sodium, etc. For most items there are a bunch of different kinds but then there might be three items with English labels. Again I used my instincts and guessed. At this point I'm grateful that I have cooked back home as much as I have. To be able to recognize different things without needing an English sign to tell me what they are makes me feel good.
Forgot this pic first time (daily workout)
I got started on dinner and was hoping for the best. I can read a recipe and follow instructions so that's what I did.
Besides the rice cooker directions being in Japanese, Brandon figured it out and cooked amazing rice to go with our meal. It was delicious. Both boys liked it and had seconds.I also picked up some ice cream treats that were recommended and those were awesome too. After dinner we sat around talking, mostly about baseball, but I got to see just how much happier Brandon is with this team. I can't explain it, but it's just different and it makes me happy.
I think this is one of the best meals I've ever cooked. I normally stick to lasagna, spaghetti, or casseroles. I know for sure this boosted my confidence in the kitchen. And apparently Brandon's confidence too because he requested sushi next time. I'm willing to try but I'm not making any promises. Although I didn't get out much yesterday I tried to get in touch with the Japanese culture in a different way and feel that it was a success.
In case you are looking for something new to your dinner menu here are the recipes I used for both dishes. Enjoy!
I decided to go exploring a little on my own today. I didn't want to go sit through a game again since Brandon had just pitched. We ate breakfast together and then he left for the field. I did some chores around here then picked up the Living in Kobe guide book. Unfortunately most of the activities are for when the weather warms up so I will have to wait a few months. Instead I decided to head out to the busy shopping area in Sannomiya. (san o mia) I would be taking the JR train line instead of the Hanshin line that I had previously used the two days before. I got online to map my route to know exactly what time and train to be on. I studied the map quite diligently. I gathered the guide book, our Japanese cell phone, and Brandon's phrasebook and dictionary. At the expense of looking like a tourist, I didn't want to get lost.
I would say that the Sannomiya is one of the busiest stations. It is the hub to three different rail lines and I believe the subway. When I came up from underground there were people everywhere! So I just started walking until I found the shopping center I read about. I walked and walked and walked until I reached the end. Then I went up to the second level (mostly comic books an trading cards) and started back the way I came. It was like a giant shopping maze! There is a north south east west and central plaza. Then below all of this are the café and bistros. I spent almost two hours walking around in and out of little stores. I don't even know if I got to see all of the shops. There is one little boutique that I loved and also an amazing shoe store. Definitely learning my shoe size in Japanese.
I LOVE the clothes and style here. It's pretty much anything goes. Everyone dresses different to their own style and taste. My favorite look that I have seen quite a bit is a dressy short with tights and heels. Excited to incorporate their style into my wardrobe. But not yet. I didn't buy anything. From what I noticed prices here are pretty comparable to stuff in the US. One thing I would like to find someday are some thrift shops.
I was thinking of being brave and grabbing some food but I just couldn't muster up any more courage than I had already used to find my way there. Outside almost all of the restaurants they showcase their dishes. Most of them all carry the same things, rice and noodles, curry, sushi, etc.
I decided I was done walking around and started to make my way back to the train station and then I discovered another whole street. I think most of these places were bars and nightclubs based on the trucks outside them unloading liquor bottles. The girls travel in groups and are often giggling. There were several little streets, more like alleys, that had restaurants and places I'm not quite sure what they were. I never felt unsafe walking around but I decided for the future, just to be safe, these little tucked away streets are for when Brandon is around.
I made it back to the train station and it seemed more foreign than before. There were people rushing in every direction. I found a place out of the way and got out map of the train routes. I had to make sure I was headed back in the right direction and I wanted to be 100% sure. Timidly I scanned my train card and proceeded to the platform. I let one train come and go so I knew it was going the right direction. Then I hopped on and felt a huge sense of relief come over me. I did it. I got back to the station where I had to transfer to the Rokko Liner ( the train line to and from our island) and my card wouldn't read and I couldn't get through the turn style. I tried three more times. I thought I had maybe ran out of money so I went to the kiosk and added another 1000 Yen. I tried again twice. Denied. I walked over to the two men that were on duty ,using my hands and a few words I explained what happened. He scanned my card in his computer, fixed what he needed and then using his hand directed me on through. Arigatou!! It's one of the words I know how to say and I pronounce it wrong in the heat of the moment. Fail.
Anyway, that was my adventure of day three. Maybe a little stressful but I made it there and back with minimal trouble and next time it will be easier. I made chicken alfredo for dinner and unpacked my suitcases. Right now our evenings are pretty laid back and I don't mind. Hopefully when the season starts the end of this month we can venture out together for dinners and entertainment. Until then I have to figure out what to do during the day. I know there is a jogging path around the island and we have a gym here in the building. It isn't free but it might be worth it so I have something to do during the day. I also think I spotted a dance school across the street maybe I can volunteer and there are some posters in the lobby for activities that I am going look through. One of the other wives is here with her daughter so I will probably be meeting her this week and we can spend time together.
I miss home and my dog! My mom updates me daily that he is doing just fine. I miss the food but I am finding different things to try each day at the store. Brandon is going to be my biggest cheerleader in helping me try new things. Last night we had to eat our pasta with chop sticks so when we go out to eat I'll know how. He made it look easy. He is fearless and tries everything at least once. I'm so jealous and again annoyed at him for that but inspired at the same time.
Until next time..
Sorry about all the cell phone pictures. For some reason I haven't figured out my camera photos have a hard time uploading.
Good afternoon America! It's Wednesday morning here and I just woke up. We had breakfast and Brandon already left to catch his train. We already have a good routine started. I am getting used to being a morning person and it works out pretty nicely with everyone's schedule back home. I think I told you but its 15 hours ahead and the quick way to calculate is add three hours to your time (Missouri/Alabama) and then its the opposite of your day or night. Make sense?
Yesterday I caught the train by myself and again I can report I have no disastrous story of getting lost but it's coming one day, its inevitable. I arrived at the stadium and one of the team's translators, Yohei, was waiting for me to help me get my ticket and find my way. For all the baseball wives out there if you think its hard with a new team learning the ropes of where you get your ticket and enter imagine it with a language barrier. I'm so grateful that I had some help and that everyone here is SO friendly.
Today I have lots of pictures and some video for you. The team plays at the Kyocera Osaka Dome. As you can see it is really nice. For spring training games you can sit wherever you like and it wasn't really busy yesterday hence the many open seats. The vendors are mostly girls and they wear the cute little dresses, much more appealing than the beer guys in America.
Here below we have the cheering section. There was one for each team and it sounded like a parade the. entire. game. When I got there even the players were all yelling out. I don't know how Brandon pitched through it but he says he can't hear it. The cowbell type noise you hear is the man next to me. They have these plastic tubes that they beat together. I'm sure I'll end up with a pair eventually. I love the enthusiasm and I can't wait till this place is packed out. I'm also going to learn the chants!
After an hour of trying to get my pictures to upload, which they didn't, I'm giving up. Videos will have to do for now until I can sit and mess with this again.
They ended up losing yesterday in the 9th inning 8-4. Brandon pitched 5 scoreless. Then one of our pitchers hit a guy in the head. The rule here is if you hit someone in the head you are automatically out. Also one of our guys hit a home run and when he touched home the camera guys jumped over the wall and rushed out to take pictures of him going in the dugout. It was pretty cool to me. I wasn't brave enough to try any stadium food but I did do a full 360 around to see what my options were. KFC is universal and I did see some other items that I probably won't make it the season without trying. CREPES!
After the game we came back here, picked up a few things at the market (I went on my own I was super nervous about it) and I fixed dinner. Brandon requested hamburgers and macaroni and cheese. Easy enough for me. After dinner Brandon taught me how to count in Japanese. I think he was starting to see how frustrated I was at not knowing anything. He picked up on it from practice because when they run drills and do squats they have to count out loud.
One - ichi - (ee chee/itchy)
Two - ni - (knee)
Three - san
Four - yon - (yawn)
Five - go
Six - roku- (row coo)
Seven - nana - ( banana)
Eight - hachi - (ha chi)
Nine - kyu - (Q)
Ten - jyu (jew)
ichi ni san yon go roku nana hachi kyu jye.
Don't make fun of my pronunciations.
And now you know as much Japanese as me.
Brandon is at work today so now I have to figure out what and where I would like to explore. Talk to you soon!
Lauren
I don't know if the videos are showing up for you but I provided the direct links underneath in case.
