New Foods!

Time for an much needed update. It is now Bonenkai season here in Japan. Which basically means it is the end of the year season. Meaning a lot of parties by different groups of people. I went to one last night and one tonight. The one to night was at an Izakaiya, which is a Japanese style restaurant where people go to drink, eat, and have a good time. They are a lot of fun b/c you can eat many little dishes and try a bunch of new things. (For those with a weak stomach now is the time to stop reading - continue at the next paragraph.) At this party there were 4 Japanese that ordered all of the food, so naturally I had no idea what was being ordered they talk way to fast for me and since I only know a few words everything they were saying went in one ear and out the other. Well, they were nice enough to tell me what I was eating before I ate it. They ordered Horse meat and a bunch of fish, so naturally I skipped over the fish b/c I don't like it, it still tastes disgusting even in Japan. And at first I was really hesitant to try the horse meat. One b/c it was horse, but two it was raw. But being in a new country and willing to try everything once, I took a bite of horse meat. I soaked it in Soy Sauce so really it tasted like nothing but soy sauce, other than that, it is just a really tough meat, but not overly horrible. (I still don't think it is something I would willing order at a restaurant on my own though.) There was also raw shrimp (which I didn't try) b/c they still had their eyes - which still kind of freaks me out, anything with eyes - I don't eat!

Ok to continue with the lighter subject matters. At the party I was learning a lot about Japanese culture and everything. Like when they order cooked fish, it normally comes with the bones and tail still attached. But having grown up eating fish they know how to eat it with no problems. And yes they eat the tail and bones right along with the meat. They say the bones are really good and you just have to make sure you chew and chew and chew until they turn into water. (A lot of chewing for something I don't like the taste of - no thank you!) The party was a lot of fun though. They order many different dishes so there is plenty to eat if you don't like something. We had any where from raw fish, to french fries, to pickled vegetables, to potato wedges, to cooked fish, to kababobs (with different meats on them - which are all cooked) to other cooked vegetable that you can't get in the US, to salad. With a lot of Mayonnaise on pretty much everything. Though my least favorite thing is tako-yaki - fried dumplings with octopus bites inside - they are disgusting. There is a sauce they put on it that is so gross it makes me sick every time I eat it. I have to remember to stay away from that sauce. Overall though the party was really fun and I learned a lot of interesting things.

Last nights party was a lot of fun too. I had sukiyaki for dinner. A hot pot dish prepared with thinly sliced meat, vegetables, mushrooms, tofu and shirataki (konyaku noodles). But before you eat it, you dip everything in a raw egg. Yes that is right you crack an egg open, you beat it, and then when the meat and vegetables are done cooking in the hot pot you dip them right into your egg and eat it just like that. Kind of gross sounding, but it doesn't taste horrible. (It is amazing the things you try when you travel to a different country that has a totally different eating style than you are used to.) Raw eggs, raw fish...and other raw meats. I have even been told they have dolphin and whale here (I haven't eaten any.)

The end of the semester is here. I can't believe I have already been here for 4 months. It is just so crazy. It has been a lot of fun though. Learning new things. But there are are just so many weird things that if I knew Japanese would be a lot better. For instance, today (Tuesday) all day I thought it was going to be the last time I would see my Tuesday students. Come to find out I have another Tuesday class in January. (But I wasn't the only one who didn't know this. The other English teachers didn't know it either.) My students didn't even say anything to me. Tomorrow however, is my last day of Wednesday classes and the same for my Thursday classes. But Monday and Tuesday classes we have one more time after the short Christmas/New Year break. And then I am off for 2 and 1/2 months! YAY!

Well I think that is it for now. If I don't write again - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Everyone!