Joe's Family: Life In Kanazawa

Hello ya’ll~

Sorry for the late start on the blogging—a combo of spotty internet access and having to navigate blogger in Japanese slowed me. But ultimately, nothing could stop me from writing to ya'll, and now I am here—fiercer than ever! Ah the wonders of finding a building with free wireless…

My life in Japan is as follows:

I live here:

This is my room:

In my spare time, I read, do puri kura (make photo stickers), and hang out with my host family:

(That’s a puri kura with me and one of the other interns—and the Brother’s K—thank you Martha)

I am eating lots of good Japanese food. But I have not yet tried this:

(Yes…that’s a shrimp burger! From McDonald’s!)

Or this:

(Yes…that’s a shrimp wrap with Thousand Island dressing! From McDonald’s!!!)

Sometimes, on my commute home, I watch these on-the-fringes-of-society-people dancing at the train station:

(They use the window like it's a mirror at a dance studio. Some people watch them with curiosity; others watch them with a mix of disgust, lust, or admiration.)

I work here:

During the day, I go out in this car, sometimes with these people, and interview people in the area:

No, my Japanese is not really good enough to interview people, but I’m a novelty so they’re ignoring (/laughing at) my poor grammar and limited vocabulary. And going on interviews is fun! We’ve been to shrines, eel stores, mountains, water purifying experiments, museum exhibits, a place where fireflies light up in daytime too…there are many stories. I will write more in here shortly. Also, if you’d like, write me! I am happy, but somewhat lonely. The other interns are nice but we do not click so much and the people at work are older than I although they’re good company (ha—and they’re people at the company…so it’s a pun…ha ha……

Anyhoo…here’s the recording studio I’m in when we’re not doing interviews from the car.