Episode 4 – Hello from Tokyo Tower!

First day back with Internet means instant episode for you all, better late than never. I recorded this episode earlier in the week, Tuesday evening to be exact just before my trackmate Alex arrived in Japan. The next few days were spent trouncing around Tokyo looking for basics like bedding, soap, and food. Enjoy this pre-move in episode ne! ^_^

Show Notes

  • Long day (late post, will be in the process of moving)
  • View from the Tokyo Prince Hotel
  • Jisa-boke and how I get over it
  • Tokyo Tower / Eiffel Tower
  • Moving and dragging my belongs through the streets of Tokyo
  • Using GTD and Vitalist
  • Cool friends help the Tokyo-transition
  • Only in Japan – Egg on pizza is truly incredible (http://www.flickr.com/photos/heavylift/434951327/)
  • Small World – Strange people confluences
  • Terrance’s Matsuri Post on KobeBeef
  • Upcoming Video Posts

Lack of Updates

Hey everyone. Just to let everyone know, I’m well. Just without Internet at the moment as I have moved to Kuramae. I’ve got an episode recorded that is ready to go but just need to get my computer connected to put it up. I will update more soon.

I never realized how much I relied on Internet for nearly everything; phone, mail, news. I feel so out of touch.

Earthquake and Rain

Boring. Today has been incredibly boring. Even now, boring. Wait, lemme check one more time …. aaaaaand… yep, the news is in – still boring. Even with an earthquake today, boring since I wasn’t able to feel it. Though I never wish anything or anyone any harm, I am still looking forward to my first one. I think I may have slept through it or was watching TV. Anyway, I’ll have to look for another opportunity to work on my dance moves.

So how can one be bored in a city the size of Tokyo? Well today I have a headache, the train wasn’t working because someone graciously threw themselves in front of it, and its raining out so I don’t feel like site seeing. The good news is that this gives me time to organize my photos prepare for future episodes.

The Japanese word of today is: つまらない (boring)

Episode 3 – Kerpow!!

Dr. Pepper CanToday’s episode is brought to you by this Dr. Pepper Can and the Pepper Chix (http://www.drpp.jp). Woah!

This episode covers a little bit about the website and how to subscribe to the audio versions of this podcast, my trials and tribulations at an Internet cafe in Kamata trying to get some connectivity, Japanese Jehovah Witnesses, the best damn spicy cheeseburger I’ve ever had, a crazy motorcycle helmet, and more.

Also, I divulge a little bit of my Japanese study plan which seems to be working out. Remembering the Kanji, James Heisig, I couldn’t remember the name of this book during the episode.

Don’t know who Oruchuban Ebichu is? Lest your curiosity kill you, find out in this episode.

And of course, a quick roundup of some of the best Japanese living podcasts around. Herro Flom Japan, Kobe Beef Show, Tokyo Calling, and A Year in Japan. Check these out.

Episode 2 – The Next Few Days

Hey everyone, sorry for the hurried posting but I’m currently at an Internet cafe and my access to the Internet has been very very sporadic to say the least. I banged out another episode yesterday and kept it aging for a day until I get could some access. So here you go, enjoy.

In this episode:

  • Intro music – “Hologram Jesus” by Pthalo
  • Lack of updates – Internet connectivity is down, down I tell you
  • Alien Registration Story
  • Nintendo DS Kanji Dictionary rules!!
  • Found an apartment from TokyoRent.com – yay!
  • Excite Train Transfer Application – http://www.excite.co.jp/transfer/
  • Shopping in Kawasaki
  • Liquor Store Funniness
  • Fish Market TV Show Interruption

And as always, more to come soon. Cheers!

I’m Tired …. So Tired

I’ve got enough material to fill up a bento box here. But I lack the motivation to get it completed at the present. I think tonight is the last night my jet-lag bites me in the butt sometime after the sun goes down. I’m tired and going to bed, but I will post another episode tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s episode covers gaijin registration, apartment hunting, and an update on my japanese proficiency (interestingly enough, better writing than speaking).

みなさん、おやすまなさい。 Goodnight everyone.

Episode 1 – Welcome to Japan

Day one in Japan and the first official podcast episode is released. Its nearing the completion of my first full day in Japan, and I’m doing everything I can not to go to sleep while I fight this sore throat.

( photo by Sachama  [original] CC license)

Brief show notes in paragraph form: In the first few hours I randomly met someone who knows a mutual friend of mine, called the Japanese fire department accidentally while trying to place a phone call to a friend, ate cow tongue at a yaki-niku place, and made a few new friends at a tachinomi bar (picture included). Hear about it all in audio form along with my jet-lagged speaking full of uhhs and umms.

T-minus 15 hours

Photo 22.jpg

Quick update. I’m currently sitting at Newark Airport in New Jersey (god I hate Jersey), waiting for my flight. About a half day left and I will be in Japan. Plane is behind me. Thanks Fred for the T-Mobile hook up. I’ll get you back.

I’ve got some exciting news to share with everyone soon, but I will post it when I get a bit more of a chance to write. Now I’m being paged … gotta run. 🙂

T-minus 4 days – “The Email”

A brief update, sorry for the lack of Internet-connectedness.

Last Wednesday, I finally moved out of South Carolina. My classmate and trackmate Alex was awesome in helping me move from one storage place to another. It’s amazing how much “stuff” you can amass in a few years. I didn’t realize I had so much. There were a few things I “donated” too since I really didn’t have much room left. After a long day of packing, I took Alex and I out for a good round of sushi at Camon and headed on my way up North. Leaving at about 7:30pm, I made it to somewhere in the backwoods of Virginia and caught a bed for the night before finishing my journey up to Connecticut arriving the next afternoon.

The next few days were spent catching up on work related tasks and visiting family. This weekend has been spent mostly with my girlfriend and her family – saying goodbyes, making plans for the future, and trying to take in a bit of everyone before I leave. Right now, it’s Monday March 12th. I’m sitting at a coffee shop in New Haven, CT getting a bit of free Internet and quiet before I leave. It’s the first time in this long week that I’ve just been able to relax and power through tasks I’ve had stacked up.

At this point, I think most of the odds and ends of moving overseas have been taken care of. It’s amazing how many companies don’t know how to handle someone movie overseas. For now, I’ve been putting my parents address for those types of places and proudly putting Japan for companies who have the ability to operate internationally. Right now, I think its about 2 out of 30 total address changes I’ve had to go through in the past week.

I think this may be the third of fourth time I write one of those “Hey, I’m getting up and moving” type emails to my friends. Except this time around, the network of friends that I share has expanded and the email is more of a “Hey, I’m getting up and moving to the other side of the world” type email. In the coming months, I will certainly miss my family and friends.

So I will be sending out “the email” shortly. I’m going to expand it to the few friends I’ve met through this blog as well. I know there are readers that I don’t know yet too. So, for those interested more in what this blog is truly about, get ready because the real-deal starts in about 4 days. I started this blog to be about Finding Japan knowing full well that the first few months were prep. The next 18 months will be the main course.

Japan finds me in about 96 hours.

Foreigner ID Card

Shinagawa City Center

Original Photo from Flickr Member Oimax (url)

It is now just 14-days until I step on a Continental flight to Japan.

I’ve been getting some administrivia done this morning. It looks like the foreigner ID card issue shouldn’t be too bad. In getting my location bearings a little more straightened out, I found a great website for the ward of Shinagawa. Shinagawa contains the area of Oimachi where I will be looking to live. The site for Shinagawa contains some great information for foreigners, broken down by section.

Amusingly enough, one of the many things that I am apprehensive about is getting yelled at by some old cute Japanese land-lady because I didn’t sort my trash the right way. Now, I can successfully avoid that. Yay! ^_^ Also, there was some great information about the foreigner ID card registration process.

Since the foreign resident registration card takes a few days to produce, you will be asked to return to pick it up.

This doesn’t sound too bad. If I can get this all done before getting a bank account, it should make the apartment process much much easier. We’ll have to see if my experiences in Japan are any easier than those of my counterparts in Europe and South America.