Driving In Japan

I learned very quickly that driving in Japan is quite different from driving in Canada -  for one – it’s very busy in Japan and the roads are quite packed and jammed up during peak hours.  I don’t know how truck drivers in Japan do it – but they sure know how to maneuver the truck – for I’ve seen a couple do it so well.  In Canada, it’s easy to find a  trucking gps system and even though in Japan they have some gps system – they are all in Japanese.  So if you are thinking of buying a GPS system in Japan – you better check about the programing.

In Canada – the roads may be uneven – but at least you don’t need to worry about having no space to turn around or stop in case of emergency because in Japan – if your truck breaks down – or you need to rest – there is absolutely no space for you to stop your truck or car.  Driving in Japan is certainly not easy – I’m just glad I’m not in Japan – but in Canada with my GPS system.

For The Love Of Flowers

Japanese friends of mine love sending flowers to me – whenever we are celebrating a special occasion.   But they sure know where to save a lot on flowers here – because I feel so bad every time they send me flowers – but they told me of these coupons that you can get online.  So now whenever I want to send flowers I know where to get good and cheap ones – delivered on time and awesome looking gifts.  Now I know the secret of why Japanese friends love sending flowers to me on special occasions – they do put a big smile on my face every time i received them.

Japanese Friends Crazy About Golf

My Japanese friends are crazy about golf – so when they came for a visit – they had asked for a few days in a nice resort to play golf since it is so cheap to play golf here as compared to being in Japan.  They were thoroughly please with my recommendation at Sluice Point and it was interesting how one of them even had a special gps for golf course when he was playing.  I learned a lot from them that week – and can see how serious and how much they enjoy the amount of land we have here in Canada and United States.   So from then on whenever my Japanese friends come to visit me – I just book them into a golf resort here and we are all set.  They seems happy enough and don’t really want to leave the resort at all.

Holiday Shopping

While they don’t have  Long Weekend like we do have it here in Canada – shopping seems to be the country’s past time as well.   While we have long weekend sales here in Canada – they don’t really have the same kind of sale in Japan.  Most time during holiday shopping – it’s more crowded than usual – but you have to know that tourists are a plenty in Japan.  My Canadian girlfriend told me just the other day – that she really missed the long weekend sales here in Canada – in Japan even when there is a sale – most people are very orderly.  Therefore, most Canadian store chose to have their sale online as well – so that people don’t have to rush out and knock the other person down just to get what they want.  Holiday shopping can be scarey but not in Canada – therefore when it comes to discount prices – nothing beats shopping in Canada – but for those like myself who loved anime and Hello Kitty – you’ll have to still go to Japan because they do have to widest selections.

Drinks @ Izakaya Tokyo

There are not many drug rehabilitation centers in Japan but Izakaya – there are plenty, and it’s a wonder that there isn’t more rehabs because the amount of alcohol consumed by the Japanese is horrid.  Did you know that all Japanese men visits the Izakaya on a daily basis?  not for the food alone of course but more so for the drinks.  And seriously, how they show up for work sober the next day – is truly amazing to me – I know so because I’ve worked with some before.

The japanese work hard but drink just as hard – and how they don’t end up being alcoholic – I cannot understand but I bet they cannot do without a drink – and some I have to say – may just need more help than others.  And whether or not they have a rehab center in Japan  or around Japan – I say – that if I had the money – I would definitely have a alcohol rehab center in Japan.

Working Abroad

Teaching English in Japan is a big thing for people from the West going to the East – but did you realized that there are many Japanese going to the United States to work too.  Ironic ?  some – but it’s true – I have a girlfriend who is a Japanese and her spouse works in United States – I think in an oil rig.  While teachers teaching English in Japan may not have much insurance for any kind of accidents – it is totally different in the United States.   Plus in United States they have injury lawyers – just for people like my girlfriend’s spouse – lucky him !  so why is there no injury lawyers in Japan as much as they have in United States?  Does it mean that in Japan – you don’t get into as much accidents?  afterall, they do have huge construction company in Japan too and fishing is also a big part of Japanese lifestyle?  so how come they don’t have lawyers like the  Texas Work Injury Lawyer ?  who specializes in helping those who are injured at work that could have been prevented and the same for death at work.   So no wonder we see so  many Japanese working abroad while the Westerners flocked to Japan to teach English – the Japanese on the other hand – works in the West.   Interesting to note.

Trendy Japanese Exchange Students

We currently have some exchange students from Japan and during the multi-cultural festival recently I was privileged to have met some of them.  They were as usual – one of the most trendy group amongst the various I’ve met during these festival but that’s to be expected.  We exchange conversation and shared my love for sushi and sashimi and of course the fact that I loved maguro more than salmon sashimi made them laughed.  We talked a lot about fashion and I asked one of them about the shoes they were wearing from Nike and they told me it was for skateboarding and they were so looking forward to skateboarding this summer at our newly build skateboard park.  The skateboard shoes looked really light and trendy – I wonder if I can wear them just for walking around?   The students were extremely friendly and we promised to have lunch soon.

A Wedding Invitation From Japan

The bride was beautiful – they met when he was stationed in Japan for a teaching job and the  invitations from invitationbox.com was just as beautiful and unique as the bride.  We would love to go – but that would mean a very long flight – but that would mean that I can go crazy with shopping when I am in Japan.  They had such a nice wedding invitation card that I’m going to keep it and I also looked into getting some birthday card for my kid’s birthday too.  The invites is so affordable – and pretty – it was definitely a useful site.

Eating With A Sumo Wrestler

So I bet you’ve never eaten with a sumo wrestler right?  not many people have – but my girlfriend’s spouse works for the sports edition in the local papers in Japan and had a change to do that for an interview.  While we loved sushi and sashimi – the sumo wrestlers eat lots of fried stuff and also stuff with lots of protein and carbo – I don’t know if they used any  creatine supplements but they sure put on lots of weight and body mass fast too.   According to my girlfriend’s spouse – the amount of food they eat the entire day was 20,000 calories while normal people eat about 2500 – 3000 calories so you can imagine watching a sumo wrestler eat.  I would love to have a meal with a sumo wrestler – then I can try and compete with him and eat – now that would make me look like a bird – hahaha!

Health Care In Japan and USA

While health care is quite different in Japan and the United States – I have to say that it can be quite devastating if one needs to go for detox in Japan – because  drug detox center program are not as readily available in Japan as they are in USA.  Like they say – you can find Miso soup in Japan but not always in United States – and health care is just like a miso soup – a necessity for any Japanese in United States but not always available.  So what do the teachers in Japan do – when they have a health problem?  I know of many who would fly back to United States to get treated.  Seeing a doctor in Japan if you are a local can be a problem – therefore, if you have an addiction problem in Japan – I think it’s even harder to get help.