April 2, Day 4: First day out of quarantine!
Today I was introduced to my coworkers, my campus, my classroom, and my neighborhood. What a day! For lunch, I went to a restaurant called 兎 or Usagi which means rabbit. It’s a good thing I didn’t go alone, because they only spoke Japanese. After entering, I took off my shoes and sat horigotatsu (recessed floor seating) style at the counter where the chef was cooking. I ordered flat fish which is seasonal. The dish also included salad, steamed egg topped with seaweed, pickled vegetables, egg and tofu soup, rice, fried tofu, and an orange slice. I left feeling very full. Flavors? Amazing. Textures? Strange. It was my first meal out in Sendai, and I learned a lot about Japanese dining. See Things I Learned to read what I discovered about chopsticks and soup.
April 3, Day 5: Solo Explorations
I survived my first venture alone into a Japanese supermarket! “York Benimaru” is a four minute walk from my apartment and will be my go-to grocery store. Since it’s Sunday, the store was pretty crowded, but I somehow made it out without talking to anyone (hooray for self-checkout). I quickly felt uneasy surrounded by Japanese labels, language, and locals, but I used pictures and common sense to make my way around the aisles. I also still getting used to yen conversions. How did I know what to buy? I watched what other people reached for, and if they grabbed 2 or 3 of an item, it had to be good, right? It was easy to find familiar staples like udon noodles, eggs, green onions, and apples, but it took me about 25 minutes to find the green tea. For some reason, it was not in the black tea, herbal tea, and coffee section. My hiragana studies paid off when I was able to recognize the fu (ふ) and ji (じ) on the apples I bought. My favorite variety! In total, I spent ¥3,253 which is about $26.
After putting my groceries away, I headed to a home-goods store to buy a few plants. My apartment is starting to feel more like a home 🙂
April 4th, Day 6: Introductions
Today the head of HR took the new teachers on a tour of both campuses (Takamori and Marayuma). It was a drizzly day, so we didn’t get to test out the playground equipment. We did, however, meet almost every single staff member on each campus. So many names to remember! After a long, but informational HR orientation meeting, I headed home for dinner. While I was eating my oyakodon, a small earthquake gently shook my apartment walls. At first, I thought it was merely a windstorm, but I soon learned it was a level 3 on the intensity scale. Earthquakes are frequent in Japan, so I’m wondering when the next one will strike… I feel safe knowing that these buildings are meant to withstand earthquakes of all shapes and sizes. The only thing in danger is my vase of flowers.
Happy for you!