Turning a NEW LEAF

In this blog, I am usually interested in just documenting the places I go and the things I see. However, while being out here in Japan, I have happily picked up an important habit that I strongly suggest EVERYONE out there do too! And I am going to tell you this because I LOVE you (whoever you are) and you probably love me too since ur reading this blog which is just meant for my love ones to see what I am up to..

So, this is my first 9-5, Monday to Friday job. After being out here for more than 5 months, I have really seen how being inactive can take a negative toll on your body. Sitting at your desk ALLL day long can be draining. When I don’t have school visits and im stuck in the office, staring at the computer. Mind you, I keep myself busy but at the same time I just sit there. Even at schools, theres not much movement, just standing there or walk around a bit. I started to feel very sluggish and lazy. I never understood why so many people went to the gym. I used to see the same faces walking into the gym consistently, the regulars I see all the time and I always wondered, why do you torture yourself everyday? And now, especially in career mode. I understand.

When I was at home, I never used to work out (AND I worked at 2 gyms for a span of almost 5 years!! OMG!!). I found working out to be a hassle and I hated breaking a sweat. The discomfort of the shortness of breath and the sweating from cardio exercises just made me dread going to the gym. I used to think “ugggggggghhh, im sweating.. grossss!” LOL… I thought it was a big waste of time, when I could be doing something more enjoyable then killing myself with discomfort.

The whole game changed as soon as my mother told me that I was getting fat!! Okay she didn’t really say those words exactly. It was more of a “your gaining a little bit of weight”. I was completely and utterly shocked. Usually, I say that to people and they tell me, “no your not, don’t be silly...on and on” but as soon as I heard that, my mouth dropped. This was my number one motivating factor that pushed me to go to the one place that I hated the most.

I tried going to the gym before and that would last a week before I would find something more enticing to do. So I was a bit nervous about getting it going. BUT this time it was different. I got on that treadmill and I was thinking, “aright give me your best shot, im not here to fool around anymore, and I am not going to let you intimidate me.” And guess what, “im not afraid of sweating anymore! So try me!” I started doing cardio with the mentality that I WANT to leave here sweating and I CANT stop until I have been on this thing for at least 30 mins on a maintained high speed.


Now, I cant believe it!! For the past few days, I have just felt like I am on top of the world!! Its just this indescribable feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. All those things you hear about getting active are REALLY true! I have never went to the gym on a consistent enough basis to feel the positive effects. After another amazing feeling of coming home from the gym, I decided to inquire about exactly WHAT positive effects does working out have? So I looked it up… to see how effective all this work really is..

1. It IMPROVES the HEALTH of your HEART and LUNGS! - Your heart is a muscle that needs to be strong! If you don’t use it or get it pumping, it will be WEAK and increase the chances of heart diseases, heart attack, stroke – you name it. Getting the heart rate up will work it up and increase circulation!
   
2. HELPING hormones - Working out changes the hormone levels in your body. - “feel good” hormones are released and this fights off depression, fatigue and decreases appetite - it is a STRESS RELIEVER!! I didn’t believe it, until I did it! The tense muscles in my back and shoulders (from sitting and staring at a computer) are gone!
3. Reduce heart disease and diabetes
4. INCREASE bone density
5. INCREASE metabolism
6. INCREASE circulation and blood flow in the body for MORE ENERGY!
   

… there are SO many more reasons!

When I used to work out before, people would tell me “why are you working out for? You don’t need to!” and this was the main reason that deterred me from going to the gym. After knowing all the positive effects, I REALIZED that it DOESN’T MATTER if you already have a high metabolism and a small/thin body. You still need to take care of yourself physically. Ideally, we want to feel good about ourselves. More importantly, don’t we all want to better ourselves as a whole? It is critical that we cater to ALL aspects of our being.

Our whole-self – encompassing mind, soul and body.

...........I want to live a LONG and HEALTHY life… do you?? =)

The sights and sounds of Tokyo

Its amazing how different Tokyo is from Hirosaki… there is definitely more happening, things to see, the weather is A LOT warmer (they don’t even get snow.. while I am buried in snow up here) and it seems like every station offers something else to do and it is like a billion times larger than Hirosaki.. but it is also VERY CROWDED, congested, more expensive, the people are less friendly…etc. Well its nice to be able to have the best of both worlds..

The weather was absolutely beautiful. Tokyo doesn’t get much snow and cold weather because it is blocked by mountains. It felt like autumn weather and the first time we’ve be able to walk around with only a sweater in the month of January!

Tokyo Tower

The view from the tower






Tokyo Dome City

At Tokyo Dome City (the area surrounding Tokyo Dome) there is a mini amusement park – with a roller coaster, small rides and a giant Ferris wheel. The Ferris wheel had an amazing view. I really wanted to ride the roller coaster but someone was scared and now that will have to wait until April.

“Winter Illumination” lit up Tokyo Dome City. The area was surrounded by different light designs. The light decorations last from December until February, so we were luck to catch it. It was a very beautiful, magical and memorable moment!

So THIS is CHRISTMAS...

Christmas all over the world.. for the past 24 years, I have celebrated Christmas the same way… put up the tree, eat some cookies, hang stockings, have candy canes, hand out christmas cards….and every year on Christmas eve, we have christmas dinner with the family, exchange presents, play kris kringle, wait for santa… open presents Christmas day! And then go to church. I can definitely say this has been the most different and unique Christmas I have experienced. Christmas is celebrated differently all around the world and it was interesting to be able to see how other cultures celebrate.

Christmas in JAPAN 

our cake

I learned that strawberry shortcakes are a main symbol of Christmas, just as much as candy canes are the symbol of Christmas in Canada and the states. All the flyers and posters said Merry Christmas with a picture of a strawberry cake.

I spent one sat afternoon with Alesha and her English club… We decorated the infamous Japanese strawberry Christmas cake… those girls are so cute! And they decorated some mean cakes!

Sooo in the stores there are no candy canes!? I think candy canes are one of the most famous symbols of Christmas and to my surprise I could not find one candy cane to save my life. Boo urns!!

So, instead, I resorted to Christmas cookies. I tried to bake gingerbread men for my students and the size of the cookie cutter man was as big as my iddy biddy thumb. I have NEVER seen a gingerbread man that size. It was such a sad day in my life in Japan b/c my friend and I spent the night resizing the dough by adding extra piece to make it look like a somewhat regular size…


Funny fact: Kentucky Fried Chicken  another main symbol of Christmas in Japan. I did not know that until this year. Apparently KFC is PACKED and you cant even walk in without a reservation. People have to order Kentucky in advanced in order to get some. Weird huh?!

I have never thought of KFC as a christmas dinner, but then again that is a well known fact over here.. so imagine my surprise.


Christmas in VIETNAM 

I spent Christmas in Vietnam this year with my best friend MICHELLE and her famz. This was definitely a unique Christmas celebration. The people don’t decorate their houses.. no trees, presents, etc… however, the outside of department stores do…

So, the sidewalks are blocked by many local people, shoving their way to take pictures with the decorations. They even have heavy duty photographers trying to make a buck by asking passers by if they want a professional picture.

Next, Christmas Eve resembled a massive street party that felt like a new years celebration. One main street was locked off for pedestrians only and the rest of the streets were FILLLLED with people driving motorcycles.

I have never seen this many motorcycles – it was breath taking… plus I was scared for my life as we attempted to cross the streets.. There are no lights or crosswalks.. you just keep inch-ing forward until you reach the other side; while motorcycles are whizzing past. I could not conjure up the courage to cross the street bymyself!

Funny fact: Many kids were dressed up in santa outfits. And there was even a big group of teenagers dressed up in santa outfits. They even had a Santa giving out candy.. It seems like Vietnam mixed up Halloween, Christmas and New Years all in one night! LOL!

Halloween in Japan

I know I'm very late b/c Halloween was 2 months ago.. ive been busy! LOL..

Halloween in Japan is pretty much non-existent. There are a few decorations here and there, but for the most part no one really knows what it is.

There is this amazing bakery close to my house and it was decorated so nicely for Halloween!

Even all the workers were dressed up in costume!

They also had some amazing ice cream parfaits! YUM!

Halloween at School

I encouraged my students at Nishimeya J.H.School to dress up for Halloween, since they don’t usually do that.

We played some Halloween activities that I came up with. The each student had to pick up a piece of paper that either said "trick" or "treat". If they picked treat, they would get a treat. But, if they picked TRICK - they would have to do the action on the paper in order to get their treat.

This is a video of a student that picked trick - he had to "act like a bat"

One card said sing, "head, shoulder, knees and toes"

- they must have been so embarrassed doing this at 14 years old.. LOL!

I made some Halloween loot bags for the teachers and people from my work...this was my way of spreading some Halloween cheer. I dont think ive ever spent this much on Halloween before.

I even asked the vice principal to dress up too. He wasn’t too keen on the idea at first, but the next day he came with a home made sushi costume!! I was so happy that he participated. =)

V.P. dressed up as "ikura" - salmon fish egg sushi

I was dressed up as a Japanese comedian. “catto champeh” is what he says. (whatever that means??) I just thought it looked super funny! LOL!

Jet Party

At night, I celebrated Halloween with the JET teachers on the other side of the prefecture – Hachinohe city (2 hr drive away)… we were late and missed the all you can drink..

Wolverine, Cyclops and the Hulk

its meeee mario!... lol

The other costumes by the peoples were nice. So it still felt a bit like a Halloween party from back home. My costume was the girl from STREET FIGHTER – CHUN LI!

The JET party ended really early. And we were lucky to stumble upon a ‘reggae’ party that some of us went to in our costumes. We were the only ones dressed up in that Japanese party, I guess it was pretty obvious we were the foreigners. It was jokes b/c the dj kept sayin “Big UP Chun Li!!” LOL!