New Year's Eve

The New Year celebration has always been a big deal in my life.  Well, until I had my son...now I am just boring, and happy to get to sleep BEFORE midnight.
Anyway, here in Japan the New Year Holiday is a very big deal.   Nothing like the  holiday in America where people party their brains out for one night and then Thank God that the year ended before they got the hangover. No here, its a bit different.


While I am quite positive that everyone here drinks, seeing as the liquor store around the corner did not have an empty parking spot for two straight days (around the clock) prior to New Year's Eve, but here in our neighborhood, things were relatively quiet New Year's Eve.


Shogatsu is the celebration of the New Year and is the most important holiday in Japan.  Things in Japan start to close down early on New Year's Eve...restaurants, shops, offices, gas stations, grocery stores...everything...CLOSED.
Omisoka is the day of New Year’s Eve.  Since the New Year is the biggest event in Japan, people celebrate the Eve as well.
Luckily I was warned about the closings a few days prior to NYE.  We stocked up on things we thought we couldn't live without for a few days and we were set.


It is said people work hard to prepare for the New Year.  Starting one or two weeks ahead...doing a full-on CLEAN (like spring cleaning in the States). The reason people do the cleaning in the middle of winter is to get rid of the 'dirty' of the passing year and to welcome the New Year with a fresh and serene mind.  Probably not a bad idea.


At midnight things are pretty quiet.  Not what I am use to.  
Starting precisely at 12 - the temples ring their bells 108 times.   People stay up till midnight to listen to the 108 chimes (notice 'quiet') of a nearby temple bell.  The 108 chimes called Joya-no-kane, this rings out the old year and rings in the New. It is supposed to release people from the 108 worldly sin.  (God knows I need that.)


The temples have been readied beforehand and at midnight they open their doors and let in the masses.  The shrines all over Japan are packed with people from midnight thru to January 3^rd.  People go to pray for safety, happiness and the long lives of the family. Many are dressed in Kimonos and buy a good luck talisman called Omamori. It is kept as a protection from illness, accidents and disasters. After experiencing the "little" earthquakes...I can see why they need the protection!!!


Some of the other traditions:

• Entrances of homes, stores, etc., are decorated with a Shimekezari. These are twisted pieces of straw rope with fern leaves, an orange and other items of good omen.
• A Bonenkai party.  Bonenkai litarelly means a "Forget-the-year party" to forget the unpleasant memories of the passing year and to welcome the New Year with a fresh and serene mind. 
• People give special allowances to their children, nephews and nieces called Otoshidama. It is the busiest season for toy shops to attract children to spend their new found wealth.
• People send a lot of greeting cards to relatives, friends, business acquaintances and customers to wish them a happy New Year. Post offices in Japan collect and keep them then deliver them on the New Year's day all at once.  There is something about a 'lottery' with the cards.  They are all numbered and then some numbers are drawn and the lucky ones get prizes. I don't really know all about it - and since we got no cards...we didn't really research it.

The holiday in general reminds me of Xmas in America.  The shutting down of stores, the weeks of prep, the calm of it all.  Quite nice - but once again, not what we are use to.
All in all in the end - it didn't really matter - 
We had an early dinner out with friends NYE.  I had started to feel a little 'under the weather' and only had a few cocktails trying to stay in the spirit. (huh-oh, now you KNOW something is amiss) I was asleep by 10:30.
January 1- uneventful and illness is gaining. Everything closed.
January 2- illness is winning. everything closed. In my weariness I think it is still Saturday.
January 3 - I Thank God I have made it to Monday...start calling doctors at 8am...EVERYTHING CLOSED.  At this point I am beyond my wits and after calling a friend who tells me that yeah, nothing will be open until TOMORROW...I take off my 'sick clothes' and put on my sick 'outside clothes', throw my English to Japanese dictionary in my purse and   drive myself to the Emergency Room.  
When I pulled up - I thought it was closed too.  All the windows closed.  No cars. Anywhere.
How do you run a hospital with only 10 people working it???  Don't know - but they did it.


I sat in the hospital, the only foreigner, and one of two people who spoke English.  The other guy was working the front desk and in my sickness haze I thought he was a doctor.  At this point I was so happy to see him - I  thought he had a halo.
I walked in - there he was behind the girl behind the 'intake' desk. He had longer hair, a pinstripe shirt, khakis and a red thing around his neck I could have SWORN was a stethoscope. He helped with the forms and then sent me to the 'waiting room' and that was the last I saw of him, his English and his halo.
The waiting room - a hallway with some benches.  Everyone there - in Michael Jackson masks.  All - staring at me.


I was smart enough to take a book.  What I read while waiting a full hour - I have no idea. I heard names being called out - nothing that sounded like Sullivan.  Finally some man (another sicky) takes pity on me and walks over and points to one of the doors.  They had called my name, I never heard them, they never walked down the hall to look for me.


The "doctor" spoke about 10 words of English. I explained my symptoms, he looked in my throat, listened to my 'lungs' (right under my clavicle bones.  apparently my lungs have moved) and he recorded the temperature from the self-serve thermometer I was given while sitting in the hallway.
Yep, you mess it up, not accurate...your problem.


After all this we finally agree on one thing...I have pneumonia.
He has no idea what to prescribe me so I tell him what I want.  The same stuff they gave me the last time I had pneumonia (in the USA).
I got 1/4 the dose of the meds I asked for and he sent me home.


It has been dreaded.  Hurts to walk up the stairs.  Can't breathe. Body hurts.  Etc, Etc, Etc.  You know the drill.
Now today, I feel a little better (not great) and find out my son has Bronchitis...AGAIN.
Dammit.


My husband goes back to work tomorrow.  My mom comes back in country this weekend.  And 2011 is off with a BANG.


The way I am choosing to look at it - 
my year can only get better.  Right?


-I read another blog today and the lady had two kids who got pneumonia one right after the other.  I told her to suck it up sister and thank her lucky stars that it was the kids, that she had strong meds to get them thru it, a doc who knows what's up and a city that is actually functioning.
Actually I sympathized. (but you know that's what part of me really wanted to say).
I think it was the steroid, amoxicillan, benadryl, sudafed, nasal spray, vaseline, cough drop, chapstick delirium talking.


Maybe I need to do the 'full-on-clean' and get rid of the 'dirty'???
Maybe they are on to something. hmmm.


Here's to the ' lucky' Year of the Rabbit~
Deeds


***this is merely meant for everyone to see the humor in the ridiculous...which does happen.  And apparently, more to me than most!!  :-) 
I mean isn't that what this blog is all about!
Cheers.


UPDATE:
after my 3 days of antibiotics from the ER.  I started going downhill again, quickly!  I went to my previous doctor and got more antibiotics.
I found out that the meds the ER had given was only 1/4 the strength recommended for an average adult, and given only 1/3 the recommended dosage days.  I needed 10 days of antibiotics.
There is no FDA regulation here.
who knew?

XMAS in Japan

As Xmas time rolls around, here in Japan...nothing has changed.  The Japanese do not celebrate Xmas - but since they LOVE Halloween - I had a little hope.  
But ~ NOTHING.
Well, I can't actually say 'nothing' because there are a few places here that have the lights in the windows.  I have been told by a friend that if you drive 2 hours, there is a little village that has set up Xmas lights everywhere.  My thoughts...2 hours in a car, a 3 year-old, cold outside...ummm, NO.  Luckily my husband felt the same!


In Japan some do give Christmas presents. Some parents give presents to their children, but the children do not give presents to the parents. The reasoning  ~ only Santa bring presents, so once the children no longer believe in Santa the presents are no longer given.  (That blows!)  I mean who doesn't LOVE a good present???  No matter how old you are.


Anyway, December 25th is not a national holiday in Japan, although December 23rd, which is the birthdate of the present emperor, is. Here the Xmas tradition is to maybe put up a few lights, some even might have a tree - but the actual day of Xmas is sort of a 'date night' here.
You are supposed to spend that day/night with your significant other.  Its not about family or anything like that.  Christmas seems to be closer to the Western concept of Valentine's Day.
Christmas Eve has been hyped by the T.V. media as being a time for romantic miracles. It is seen as a time to be spent with one's boyfriend or girlfriend in a romantic setting, so fancy restaurants and hotels are often booked solid. It is also a time when girls get to reveal their affections to boys and vice versa. Because of this, extending a girl an invitation to be together on Christmas Eve has very deep, romantic implications.


For single women in Japan it is really crucial to have someone to spend Christmas eve with. It is also really important for them where they spend Christmas eve and what present they receive. The whole evening must be very special, gorgeous and romantic. Japanese women who have a boy friend tend to show off, so women who don't are not happy to talk about the topic.

There is also a "sarcasm" that Christmas is compared with a woman's age. Cake shops throughout Japan always try to sell all their Christmas cakes before Christmas eve. Any cakes left after Christmas are seen to be very old or out of date. Women over 25 years old have been referred to as 'unsold Xmas cake.'
NICE.  I can only IMAGINE how well that would go over in the States.  Think of all the black eyes and sore groins the men would have if they said that to a single woman age 25!!!!  
Actually a very funny thought!


Something else strange, thanks to the marketing prowess of Kentucky Fried Chicken, the Christmas Chicken Dinner has become all the rage. Many Japanese even make reservations for their "Christmas Chicken" ahead of time. People will line up at the outlets to get their chickens.  As a result of KFC's advertising, most Japanese now believe that Westerners celebrate Christmas with a chicken dinner instead of the more common ham or turkey.


Here in our house, we have our little Charlie Brown Xmas tree (which is shorter than I am), we have a handful of presents under the tree for the little guy (most of which are Japanese so if they tear-up, we have no idea how to read the instructions to fix them!!!) and we can't send any gifts home (not that I have found anything worthy of sending) because of the "nothing over 16 OUNCES" can be accepted to the USA right now).  


Soooo...
what does one do here during this un-festive time...
WE PLAN A TRIP TO GUAM!
Now while I know Guam is NOT what you would normally think of when you think "vacation" - but, I hear its actually quite nice.  A beach, warm weather, and SHOPPING!
Yes, shopping!
They speak English, they have real stores, and real food and, and, and...a water-park!!! (Yeah - who are the coolest parent's ever gonna be this year?!!!)


So while I am missing Xmas with family, missing the snow that we got at home, and missing getting my own presents...
I am going to be pretty happy to lay my very white American butt on a beautiful sandy beach!


メリークリスマス ~ Merry Christmas!


Deeds

Have a drink on me

My bar experience has been limited whilst here.  I know...amazing!
But, having a 3 year-old does hamper what you do.  Especially when you don't have a babysitter and the only option so far (since mom has left) has been a strangely friendly Japanese woman who stopped me on our street one day to tell me, in VERY broken English, that she "babysits American kids" while pointing to Landon...Uh, yeah.  NO THANKS.

Anyway, I have been to three bars thus far: (in order of visitation)
Bar #1
The HUB Pub.  An English pub type bar located in the middle of Yokohama.  Conveniently right near the train station. It is small, has an open air patio option, very small tables and booths, and Western style bathrooms (meaning - there isn't just a hole in the floor to randomly aim at).  The music is loud - usually something American is playing - well, Beatles and then something American, and there is futbol (soccer) on all the televisions.  The bartenders and waiters all wear black pants and black & white referee jerseys.  They are all Japanese.
The bar has American and English bar foods (which I have not yet tried):  Fish & chips, burgers, onion rings and some sort of  'popper' type dish.  They also have bar nuts...which you have to BUY.  What is THAT all about.  Bar nuts are never good anyway so why would you BUY them??
They also let you reserve tables.  On one hand this is good - but it isn't really a 'restaurant' per say - so reserving tables takes the bar atmosphere (first come, first serve drunky) completely out of the equation.
And you can smoke.

Bar #2
Benny's.  This bar is located near Motomachi (the Rodeo Drive of Yokohama).  It is upstairs and if you don't know its there...you will never find it. Benny is a retired Navy guy and he has carved himself a little niche.  The bar is small, upstairs, has 5-7 tables, 3 electric dart boards (not the REAL dart boards - to the disappointment of some UK friends) and the bar is an S shape.  Well, HALF an S-shape. ( I guess that would be a U-shape, huh? Well, it has the makings of the next 'curve' in the S - so it still looks S-ish to me)  - it couldn't have been the alcohol! nooo.
The waitresses are Japanese and one of them (whom I have seen each time I've been there) speaks better English than most people I know.  The bartender (s) are, well, have been British...the accent is lovely, and in a loud smoky bar - they all sound the same.  So apologies if they are from Ireland, or Australia, etc...after a few toddies - it all sounds the same!
The food here is EXCELLENT.  They have a standard American menu...
burger, fries, grilled BBQ chicken and RIBS!  These ribs are as good as any I have had in the States.
They have loved seeing us coming through the door...husband 6'4", two stepsons each 6'2" - and all order the ribs!  A lunch can cost us upwards of Y20,000 = $200 USD.
You can also smoke in this bar.

Bar #3
D'Erlanger
This has been my favorite so far!  We ended up here on recommendation after a night with some new found friends from the first bar (The HUB)!
This bar is quite small (smaller than the rest) and none of them are big.  It has swinging front doors akin to an old-west saloon.  The bar is in the shape of what I remember being a triangle. Three or four SMALL tables in the back on the way to the restrooms and that's it. And you can smoke.
(if you haven't guessed it yet - you can smoke ANYWHERE here.  They have the no-smoking section, but until now - I have never realized how useless this really is). - and no, I don't smoke, anymore.
They also have cigarette machines on every corner!  And if you're lucky - a beer machine too!

When we ventured into this bar - there was only the bartender (a girl) and a Japanese gentleman wearing an American baseball cap.  Since there were 7 of us (all Americans, even though 3 live here in Japan and have for YEARS now) we got the 'eyebrow' look.
But after a few drinks (and me teaching the bartender how to make a lemon-drop shooter), and more loud music - I was shown why the one friend has been calling it "Vinyl" Bar all night...

Yes, they have all vinyl records and they are all in English!!!!!  I hit the mecca!


The bartender, luckily, took requests and after a little time and a few more drinks - me and the single Japanese gentleman at the end of the bar were singing at the top of our lungs together (across the bar mind you) and both playing air-guitar!  I know, lovely visual! Obviously I somehow bonded with the Japanese guy.

It was funny though - that Japanese guy didn't speak very good English in conversation - but I'll be damned if he didn't know EVERY SINGLE WORD to AC/DC's Back in Black!

So the night went on and we drank more and more,  we sang more and more and the vinyl kept burning up the record player.
My new friends decided I was a little crazy and that it had been way too long for me not to have heard any good ole American Rock-n-Roll.
My husband, I am sure, is still wondering why he married me!!!!

One more thing I have under my belt....singing at the top of my lungs to strangers in a bar in a foreign country!
You gotta love it!