I have had a hectic week at work: We are working on seminars and make-up lessons, so I have been scrambling to understand what I need to do. Thank all that is holy for my co-workers; they have been tremendously helpful. In any job, if the employees are willing to work together and remain patient, the whole workplace atmosphere improves significantly, and everyone can complete the tasks at hand with no added stress.
I have been enjoying my weekend, but, alas, it will come to an end shortly. My Japanese tutor/friend, Mitsue, will stop by my apartment later today to continue instructing me in Japanese. I know some basic phrases, and I want to become much better. I can recognize a few katakana characters, but I need to practice and study much more. (Katakana is made up of symbols that constitute "borrowed" words from the Roman alphabet. For example, my name is not Japanese, so the characters that make up my name are in katakana: セレスソ is one way to write my name in katakana. I have seen some other ways, too, which all sound slightly different. "L" sounds are not easy for Japanese speakers since "R" and "L" have the same character. This is why many Japanese speakers may sound out my name as "Ceresuto.")
I haven't gone on trips yet. My first holiday is in two weeks (yay!). I want to go to Tokyo at least for two days, so my co-worker and I will begin planning a trip as soon as we have some time. I am aching to explore Japan as much as possible. Tottori is beautiful, but I really want to visit Hiroshima, Kyoto, Tokyo, and wherever else my friends recommend. The Shinkansen is incredibly fast and reliable, so I will be fine. ^_^
My favorite dessert here is kakigoori, which is essentially a snowball. How cool is it that I can enjoy my favorite snack from Louisiana in another country?
My co-worker and I are at Joyfull, which is similar to Shoney's. Look at those kakigooris!!!
My kakigoori with strawberries, condensed milk, and ice cream at CoCo's, which is like Denny's. <3
I love trying the different snacks over here. I am hesitant to try anything that's a little too odd-looking, like certain fish or bento boxes, but I am certainly not starving. I go out to eat almost every day for lunch because I need some time to step out of my workplace and get some fresh air. I often go to the 100 Yen Bakery, which sells delicious mini pizzas, hot dog rolls, pastries, and sandwiches.
Panda and tiger buns from the bakery. So sweet--in looks and taste!
Anpan Man bread roll. It's filled with chocolate!
I like to buy enough snacks for my apartment so I have breakfast and dinner whenever I return home from work. I usually eat grilled cheese sandwiches, ramen cups, or frozen pizzas. I am usually incredibly exhausted by the time work is over, so fixing an elaborate meal is far from the top of my list of priorities.
There is a convenience store called Lawson Station that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is a chain of stores throughout Japan, so if you are ever in need of a quick snack, something to drink, or just even a familiar sweet like a Snickers bar, stop in at a Lawson. I frequent this place, so the workers recognize me (I'm sure the fact that I'm not Japanese helps them to remember me, too!).
Lawson Station in Osaka, Japan. (Source)
For lunch, I stop in the mall's food court. The food is always fresh and delicious (not to mention rather cheap; I pay about 500 yen or $5 for my meals).
If you aren't sure what to order or what you want to eat, fear not! Almost every restaurant in Japan features plastic food models of the dishes. How convenient, especially for someone like me who cannot speak or read the language. '-_-
Japanese curry is perfect in every way. It reminds me of a spicy version of beef stew. The spiciness is fairly mild, though, so don't worry about giving this staple a try.
Udon noodle soup on the right, pickles in the tiny saucer, and rice with eggs on the left. Simple, delicious, and filling. Another common dish.
Hamburger curry. It's similar to meatloaf, but it includes rice. Love this.
Korean appetizer at Jeju's in downtown Tottori. I didn't have a chance to take pictures of every dish since I was with co-workers for a farewell party, but here is a preview of some delicious Korean food. I am in love with kimchi, which is a spicy cabbage (top middle).
Mos Burger, a burger chain in Japan. I love it! I had a Coca-Cola, a strawberry shake, some fries and onion rings, and a melted cheese and onion burger. The portions are smaller, so my caloric intake wasn't terrible. ;)
McDonald's fries. Delicious in any country. I find these taste fresher than the ones back in America.
The famous--or should I say "infamous"?--Big Mac. It has the same "secret" sauce as the Big Macs in America do, but pepper is sprinkled between the buns and patties. It tastes great, though.
Tropical McFlurry with sour candy (available for a limited time in Japan). I love this frozen treat, mainly because I love sour candy and fruity flavors mixed together.
My mom mailed some Louisiana mixes to me so that I can make étouffée with some shrimp from the grocery store and also some dirty rice. I won't have a problem finding rice over here, I can assure you. :P
Yesterday, July 29th, my co-worker and I went with our supervisor to a special berry farm. We paid 300 yen to pick as many blueberries and blackberries as our hearts desired. We ate a few while we picked them. After we finished, we brought the rest to the workers, who weighed our buckets. We each paid only 100 yen to take home our findings. I put my blueberries and blackberries in some delicious creamy yogurt today. What a great treat! ^_^
The berry farm. I sweat so much, and the wet grass and mud created a smell similar to the marshy odor in Louisiana. Home, sweet home, right?
Some unripened blackberries. I wish Granny were here so that she could make her amazing blackberry dumplings for me. :)
Beautiful blueberries. They taste so delicious freshly picked and warmed from the sunlight.
I will post more entries and pictures of food once I have more to share. Sometimes I am pressed for time during lunch or am simply too exhausted to remember that what am eating and experiencing is not readily available back home. I need to work on not taking my time here for granted.
For now, I will share with you all later.
Have a great day/night!
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