Amazing Car

A simple walk in my hometown is what I normally do on a Sunday afternoon. As I walk down the street to the McDonalds I see a white Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. This car looks fantastic not only that but the owner is washing it so proudly. I thought to myself man I really want to own this type of car someday in Japan.  I respectfully requested in my horrible Japanese if I could take a picture of his car. He smiled, said of course and stoped washing his car and somewhat hid behind the vehicle as if cleaning the tires. I only started to live here for about 6 months and I am beginning to realize that some car owners hardly even used thier cars. Anyone who lives in the city anywhere in the world understands that finding a parking spot and using your vehicle is a pain in the ass. I remember being in Tokyo and my friend pick me up in Shibuya for a night out. He desperately wanted to show his car to me but it all ended horribly when we spent 3 hours trying to find a parking spot. Next to my house there are 2 Harley Davidsons that never ever leave the parking lot. I noticed this on account of the bottom of the Harley Davidsons are showing signs of rust and the kick stands are somewhat decaying. I go in and out of my apartment for the past 6 months and not one time have I seen those vehicles moved. I say if you have the money than buy what you like and do what you want with its your property. Even though the train system is the number one type of transportation in Japan vehicles are left outside to show the status of the household. Again this is only a portion of people in Japan to do this. This is just a speculation in my area of Osaka. Do I wish to purchase a vehicle here in Osaka ? Of course at some point, but it will not be a car. I would actually like to buy a motorcycle on account of I have one back home. Suzuki 1979 I do miss her.

First month of teaching

Being a foreigner in a different country Is like being the retard in the class. Your special and people enjoy your company. Not to mention that if you make a mistake they think its funny and you are always forgiven. Despite the fact that you are immune to some mistakes you do sometimes feel out of place no matter how much you are welcome.
The first week of teaching was like walking into heaven. I love school, even though when I was young I was bullied, poor and did not have many friends, I always remembered the fun I had as a child. Sometimes I wish I can just go back to the bus stop and have no worries and meet friends. As I walk into the school I can smell the candy that students sneak into their bags, the smell of lunch and breakfast being prepared and not to mention the sound of kids screaming and having fun. My first day I needed to meet with the principal. I took off my shoes and sat in his office. I felt like I was in trouble. I nice old man enters the room with his hair combed to the side, it was indeed the principal. His office was filled with certificates and his breath smelled like coffee. He welcomed me to the school and asked me a lot of questions about my life and where I am from. He then goes to explain that I will be introducing myself to the entire staff in a meeting.
About 50 teachers stand at the ready and their 100 percent attention is to the principal as he announces the new teacher. He says my name and looks at me. I nervously walk center stage and wearing my suit. I felt overdressed cause all the other teachers were wearing t shirts and jeans. I introduce myself in Japanese and said a small joke to where they laughed. I realized that the entire week will be for the students to study. So there was a lot of free time for me to walk around and meet the students. The female students laughed and giggled as they touched my hair and said “so cool”. The school boys laughed and rough housing each other. I noticed that the entire week I will be doing just this. Hanging out with the students. So I roamed the school like the creepy gaijin that I am and talked to the students any chance I got. I was told by my boss that this was the biggest school in Osaka and the one with the most troubled students. I thought well it can’t be as bad as it is in America. I am thinking oh great they are going to stab me or shoot me or who knows.
The first lesson was what I was teaching all month, where I am from , how I got here and my story. I told the compelling story of my life from when my mother swam to America from Mexico to me getting bullied cause of my speech problem and the finale me leaving my life and job in America to be a teacher. Students said “OH SUGOI” ( oh wow amazing). All the students were interested in my story and even the teachers could not believe why I would leave so much of what I had to be here to teach. I told them the reason. I have always wanted to be teacher. Not just any teacher but one who will touch the hearts of students and get their attention. My first class students were sleeping, bored, and shared no interest in school. It’s not their fault, its mine. In the middle of my speech I stopped and looked around to my students. I looked into their eyes each every one of them, and something inside me started to happen. For 10 seconds I paused holding my hand in the air as I stopped my speech. I remembered back when I was in school. My teachers ignored me because of my speech problem; they hand out packets and tell us to work quietly while they receive their pay check.
I said, “ I see some of you sleeping” 4 students were out. “its not your fault” I said “ when I was young I did the same thing” some of them laughed. I stood there in my suit and I said “I made a promise when I was young that if I ever become a teacher, I would be the best one that I could be. I will be exciting and surprising to make my students smile” I then paused for a moment and I slammed my hands on the desk making a loud BANG!!!! All the students jumped up and the kids sleeping woke up and started laughing. I broke the silence and turned it into laughter and smiles. I jumped up and said “YEA EVERYBODY WAKE UP” I started acting goofy in my suit and tie. The kids started laughing and we all shared this moment of realization that this the beginning of the most exciting year of their lives.

The Airport

The Airport.

Bloody Hell, I believe that is my new word when I am pissed off or something really impossible just happened. Like seconds I take off a mosquito patch off my shirt a mosquito bites me right in the nose. “Bloody hell” Blo e hew as I say it in the accent. I guess my new life here is taking a toll on me. I see things in a totally new perspective. I live in a town called Toyonaka, a rual town just 20 min from Osaka. Which is great cause I really don’t mind the hankyu line.

Leaving my house for the last time was like saying goodbye to everything that I have grown to be comfortable with.  Comfortable will ruin you. My house was 10 min away form my job, my job was easy, everything was cheap and I had no big issues to worry me. Time was passing me by. Before I knew it I had turned 28 and realized that being comfortable will age you to a point where one day you will wake up and say. “what the hell I am I doing”.

So I was not too effected when I left my home. My father had already went to work and we said our goodbye. Good ridden, “he probably thought to himself” for there was no emotion nor a single tear shed from his face. Either that or he has a heart of stone. Which is highly unlikely on account of I have seen him weep for a puppy that accidentally fell into the pool. The puppy was a gift from him to my mother. He stood there holding the shovel and cried simple tears. I was 12 at the time.  I guess men have their own way of expressing themselves. “good luck “ he said hugging me followed by a meaningful “ I love you”

Once it was my time to leave both my younger brothers followed me outside. I looked up at the sun and realized that this would be the last time I will see the Arizona sunset. “Don’t fuck up” I said, as I looked my 22 year old brother in the eyes. “You have a job here to do now and you know what to do, stay strong Chris and don’t fuck up”. “You know I won’t, and I promise”. Saying goodbye to him was not easy. A sudden memory struck my mind. Him 8 years old following me to the bust stop and me yelling at him to hurry up. He would walk in the corner in the street to purposely step on all the dry leaves just to hear them crunch. I have always been there to tell him to hurry up in life. But as a child and free spirited person he is, he will always go at his own paste. But I know he will make it to the bus stop regardless.

That just leaves my mother and my little brother Dominick. On the way to the airport I see the road I took to work. The thoughts I had when I would rest my head on my hands in the office say “god I wish I could just press fast forward to when I leave!”  and it was an uneasy feeling knowing I was moments away to never seeing my town again.

At the airport with my little brother and my mother it began, the travel sick. My bags were too heavy and I had to give up the things I need and pay an extra 100$. Dam you united. They should change the name to “sack o bitches”.  Before entering security I said my last goodbyes. First my mother, giving her a big hug and whispering in her ear. “I am sorry” “good luck and take care of yourself” she sobbed giving me one last tight hug.  My little brother was the last to say goodbye to. I opened my bag and pulled out a gold plated necklace in the shape of a sword. It was a usb hard drive. My little brother and I would watch a cartoon episode that the same one and always talked about it. He opened it and was surprised I believe it was the best gift I have given him. He has given me something much more. A friend to always talk to. When I was alone in my hometown he would always come up to me to show me something cool on his phone or play video games together. I gave him the gift of having an older brother to always be there no matter what. Something I never grew up with. 

The Big Move

OK, to save you all some time reading the old crap that nobody really cares about, Iam going to break it down to you. In 2005 went to japan to get laid. Did not happen but drank, partied and made out with hot j-chicks. My penal was more into herself and her white pen pal then me. But still she ended up paying for most things. (the Japanese exchange rate was 110 yen to the dollar compared to today 98 yen to the dollar.) So I had a good 3 weeks and came back to America BROKE, but ended up going back to college. Met a nice Korean girl and was with her for 6 amazing years. Went to japan 1 time while with her and also went to Korea to meet her parents. When we both arrived back in the United Stated we went our separate ways. I went back to Japan for 3 months and she went to Korea. As much as we loved each other we still wanted to be with each other. So when she continued school in the U.S we ended up back together. But she moved 3 hours away and we were together for 2 years after that. In the long run we ended up breaking up. So since I could not re kindle things with her I decided to live my life and move to Japan. My childhood dream. ^+^

As of today August 4th 2012 I begin my journey in surviving in the amazing country. I will document my life as it unfolds, and hopefully will uncover the underground of this country.

I would say moving to Japan was not so easy. It was a step I knew I had to take on account of I was not happy in my hometown. I had a great job, wore a suit to work, made good money, stayed out of trouble and always looked on the bright side of things. I dedicated years of my life taking care of my family and my relationship. But a person can only handle so much when they are not appreciated. I sold my car, sold my x-box, sold my phone, basically sold my life and packed my life in suitcases. I knew what I had to do.

Sacrifice is something most people don't understand. I am not talking about the feeling you get when you sacrifice your child lol. I mean when you are young you have a lot of wants and really don’t focus on what you need. I mean come on do you really need a I phone 4s that scratches your ass from a laser in space? That’s money out of your pocket I had that attitude in high school, however I knew that my town was filled with lost dreams. From the fat couples with babies at Walmart to the guy working at jack in the box to pay off his student loans.  I sold my car for 2,500 and bought a motorcycle for 900$ and threw the rest of it in the bank. IN THE BEGINNING OF WINTER. I froze my ass off and I almost had a heat stroke in the summer. BUT at least I was only paying 7 bucks a week for gas and riding a bike is very therapeutic. Saving money was hell. I am not kidding sheer and utter hell. I really wanted my money to grow and my desperateness of moving to Japan was so vast that I never went out. I never bought a simple coke for $1.00. I said no and became fierce with people who I usually treat all the time. It was sacrifice I had to make. The feeling you get when you work hard, and you get home and tell yourself. “ it’s ok I deserve that I worked hard all day” so you end up spending your money to maintain your mental stability. I became stronger with my stabilizing my mental state and the only happiness I sought was opening my bank account. I loved my games so I taught myself how to download and hack my games. Anywho.

I decided to move to Japan because I had what I wanted but in the wrong city. I would rather be homeless in Japan then be wearing a suit in my city that has doomed so many. Once I realized my relationship with my ex would could not be fixed, I looked in my high school yearbook and saw what I posted in the “my dream section” I stated “to live and die in Japan”. 

Ueno Tokyo

I was scared. I had no idea whether or not my pen-pal (Yoko) would even come back the next day to pick me up. At the time I had NO!!! Useable currency. I had a Wal-Mart bought wallet with my passport and a lot of Travelers checks (as i said before they are useless). The hotel that i was using was bought by Yoko and she said later when i find a bank i could pay her back. I was desperate to find a bank that day, hopefully Yoko would take me to one before she goes to school. Yoko was a film student at a university in Tokyo at the time. So she could only meet me for sometimes 3 hours in a day and the rest of the day was up to me and my Baka gaijin instincts. (Stupid Foreigner) I heard a knock on the door. “That could be her" I thought I opened the door and it was Yoko she looked at me with surprise and said” Oh wow umm are you ready?" I just realized i had no shirt on and said "yes I all be out in a few minutes" I packed up as soon as I could and we were off to the next city for my new hotel. Again i had to carry my massive amounts of baggage up and down stairs over a lot of bumps on the sidewalk, and every time i saw an escalator I thought " oh Hell yes” We took the Yama note line train to "Ueno" A beautiful city that is quiet and has everything you need, such as, shrines, zoo, anime shops, games, fashion, and a few good bars. We got off the train and looked for a hotel called "tsukuba hotel) a popular hotel for business men it was at least 60 dollars a night or so. Of course Yoko paid at the time and I took my things upstairs and came back down with only my essentials. >>>SEE THE HOTEL<<< >>>SEE A FUNNY MONKEY<<< We went to a local coffee shop, I ordered a simple tea drink when i really wanted a Soda and she went American on me and ordered a coffee with milk and a salad. We sat down and discussed when we will meet the next day because she had class all day and needed to abandon me. She left and I was alone in Ueno all by myself. When i was alone i thought to myself, “will i get lost, robbed or stabbed or taken advantage of?" I thought that way only for a second because in Tokyo having the largest population in the world and considering the fact that i knew nobody I felt quite nauseated.. I had on my back pack with speakers playing hip-hop and some techno so all could hear. Some people would stare thinking “look at that loud Gaijin" Then some would be like” ah sugoi ne" (wow how cool). I raided a few vending machines and took a liking to (pocari sweat) a sports drink that has a somewhat lemon taste to it. I though " hmm it says sweat so that’s what i am doing now so why not" Then some drink would have actual leafs in them. (No thank you)

. I dont know the history behind Ueno, but I know much about it when i was there. Like many other cities in Japan it is well known for having a lot of homeless people. The homless people in japan are somtimes shocking. Either from just laying on the side walk masturbating or listiening to their I POD LOL WTF?
While i was walking in Ueno. i noticed a lot of Pachinko Parlor;s. I have to say the Japanese have outdone themselves when loop holing themselves around the law of no gambling. Its illegal so instead of money they gamble with balls small metal balls that u can redeem for cash or prizes. ^_^ Good times.

1ST Night in Tokyo

I was excited to get out on the town with my pen pal. We were waiting in the hotel room for I dont know what. Givin the time frame we had we were both tired, she went all the way to tokyo narita to pick me up and back to tokyo and she needed to get back home for the night, and I just got off a 12 hour flight and I was dying for a shower. Despite all that we decided to take a taxi to the nearest hot spot which was of course Shinjuku. It was a monday and to be honest I didnt think we were going to have that much fun, but to my suprise we found ourselves taking (purikura) Small sticker pictures with imense detail that cost around 400 to 500 yen. You can put these pictures on really any surface, really popular amung the japanese school girl's.

            ONLY 400 YEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!         

  It was weird with my pen pal. She would stop every other second for a cigattete and we would have that akward silence and all I can hear is her smoking and asking random questins.  " what music do you like " I dont know if she noticed but she asked me this more than once. I think she was just trying to make conversation. After her Cancer break we ended up walking alot and I would stop every other second just to get her attention. " Hey whats that" Of course she could not really explian due to her "poor enrish". So it was amusing to me to watch her even try. I heard alot of " ah ehhh eto sore wa.. ehhh nani kore" ( oh umm well this is... umm what is this). Her terminology was short and sweet so that I may understand her. ^_^ After a long period of walking we decided to stop for a bite to eat ( EAT TO BITE) -- Tom hanks We went down into a ramen noodle shop. I gatta say I really like ramen. Its not like your typical ramen noodles at home. Ramen Noodles in Japan are the best. I actually got addicted to Ramen when I lived there. ( future post ). The thing about Ramen Noodles is that the shops are EVERYWHERE. There is always compitition when it comes to Ramen shops. One price is cheaper than the other. Also when you are walking around in japan the window with WAX Ramen show how it looks like and how much it is. Its hard because if you dont speek Japanese and you see the wax model outside you cant really know where it is on the menu. What I would do ( BAKA GAIJIN STYLE ) is actually take the waiter outside and point to what I want. The 1st time u order food you will wing it but once you are tired of winging it you dont really care if you act like a ( BAKA GAIJIN ).

SHINJUKU NIGHT LIFE

We entered the ramen shop and we ordered our food. The Ramen shop had music but you cant really hear the music on account of EVERYONE IS SLURPING THEIR RAMEN. If you dont know this already that Japanese people slurp their food. This means that they are really enjoying their meal. I was excited to try this so what I did was, slurp as loud as I could. In Japan you will get a lot of stares and a lot of weird looks. I intentionally wanted some attention so that was one of my tricks. Yoko looked at me and said “ you really like it”  LOL After our meal we went back to the hotel. We said our good byes and she said that she would return in the morning to pick me up and move to another hotel.  After she left I was excited to walk around alone in Japan, But I was tired and passed out thinking of what will happen tomorrow.  

Meeting the Pen Pal

Despite the crazy time I had in the plane I was still excited to get off that plane and kiss the ground as soon as we landed and let out a big " I MADE IT HERE", Of course that is what i always dreamed of doing while I was in high school. I got off the plane and me and the "white guy" parted ways. I contacted my pen pal prior to the flight and told her  (Yoko Takei)

that i would be wearing a white shirt  and holding a red flag. I was scared that she would not find me and i would be lost in this great nation. But within the mist i heard a small' AH HAI KONICHIWA" Emmidietly she knew who I was. (maybe cause I was the only Mexican in Japan) I looked at her and said "hi". In my brain I thought to myself that I am actually meeting one of my many pen-pals. Yoko was in my top 5 pen-pals out of 22. because she would always reply sooner than the others and she would send me boxes instead of the usual letter. We shook hand and realized she had very little engrish capabilities. We straight headed to the JR line headed straight to Shinjuku a rural town next in Tokyo famous for its beer, pachinko and prostitution. We enjoyed a long train ride to the city and as I looked out the window of the train I saw nothing but country side (INAKA). I slowly began to see train stations, houses, buildings then finally for the first time in my life I saw a (Japanese School Girl) I felt like I was seeing a celebrity I quickly took my video camera and started recording. The School Girl gazed me for a split second and looked back at her phone as if she never saw me. "hentai" she probably thought.

As soon as we got off the train I found myself following Yoko to a place where she "knew a good hotel". In Shinjuku we walked and walked and walked some more. I always fell behind and Yoko would look back with a smile with repetitions of " u ok "? I would say again and again " yea iam good"  ( I really wasent on account of I was carrying 3 bags up and down stairs.) We finally after 1 hour of walking we got to the hotel. Yoko talked to the hostess and paid for my room. " I feel like a king I thought" all the rumors of Japanese girls were true. They take care of their men. That is of course until we settled down in the room Yoko stated "when u go to bank u can pay back to me" I was like. ummmmmm ok .





Asking my pen-Pal why this is so popular

Before we got to our hotel room I raped my 1st vending machine in Japan. I had no Japanese Currency at the time, except a 500,100,50 and 10 yen coins I had gotten from my Science teacher in Jr, high. She gave it to me as a gift cause she knew I liked Japan and she wanted to show me what Japanese currency looked like. I kept it all these years to put it in my 1st vending machine to buy me and my Pen Pal a Asahi Beer the size of a two Liter. (good times) To the Left is a picture of me and my Pen-Pal (so you know what she looks like) We are waiting to for a quick night on the town.