My Birthday

Back in Naruko, it is still cold and snowy. It snows every day. I decided to spend my birthday in Tokyo and get away from the snow and cold for a bit.

I was only in Tokyo for a couple of days, but I had a great birthday and ate some really delicious food. This picture was taken at an all you can eat Thai food buffet restaurant.


On the night of my birthday I went to a traditional Japanese izakaya where you order all kinds of different food. I ate some interesting things, including liver and raw meat. Most of it was really good, though.


I returned home on Sunday night, but got really sick around Wednesday and had to miss my first day of school since I have been here on Thursday. I am feeling better now, and hopefully I will be back to work tomorrow, then I have a three day weekend to rest up. I have also been applying to jobs in Tokyo and I had one interview last week. I have two more interviews next week, and one of them is a second interview for the job I interviewed for last week. My company lost the contract with the city I am currently working in, so the possibility of staying where I am and working for another year is out. However, my company may still be able to move me to a different location so I wouldn't have to switch companies. I am just trying to keep my options open and get as close to Tokyo as possible (preferably in Tokyo).

Winter Wonderland

During the bus ride back to Naruko, where I live, I could tell that it was gradually getting colder because the mountains on the horizon had an ever increasing amount of snow on them. By the time I arrived at my home it looked like a blizzard. The roads were covered in snow and I could not believe how much snow there was on the sides of the road. It was even worse when I entered my room and opened the sliding doors to the kitchen area. I literally gasped and took a step back when I saw the amount of snow that was piled up at my porch. It had to be about four feet. It seems that it is not going anywhere soon, because it has been snowing on and off steadily since I returned. I have decided to try and enjoy the winter weather as much as I can. I borrowed a gas heater, so I am no longer freezing to death, I bought lots of green tea to drink while I watch the snow fall, and I have decided to stop using my car and take the train to and from work so as not to die. So far so good.

Tokyo Disney Sea

I had a great Christmas vacation and New Years in America, but it was finally time to return to the land of the rising sun. My flight was long but comfortable, although the sleeping pills I took did a better job of making me feel loopy than they did making me sleep. I arrived in Narita airport and lost so much money due to the low exchange rate! One dollar was only worth 79 yen! I made it to Japan on January 5th, so I still had until the 11th before I had to go back to work. I decided to stay in Tokyo and go to Tokyo Disney Sea.

My friend and I left early and took the train to Disney. It was very cold in Tokyo, compared to having previously been in Texas. The closer we got to the ocean, the colder the air was, and Tokyo Disney Sea is, of course, very near to the sea.

I wasn't exactly sure what I was in for at Disney because I have only been to Disney World in Florida and that was when I was two years old. In Tokyo they have Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea. Admission is separate, so you have to choose one. Disneyland has the familiar stuff like the castle and such. Disney Sea has Agrabah (from Aladdin), the Mermaid Lagoon (from The Little Mermaid), an Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull park, a Journey to the Center of the Earth ride, some underwater stuff, a New York street, a haunted hotel, and much, much more.




















The lines were so treacherously long!

Cruella Deville was on the loose in the New York City section!