I finally bit the bullet and did the Japanese Thermal Straightening hair thing. IT'S AWESOME. It's like finally taking out a lifelong bad weave. For those of you with naturally poofy, frizzy, or otherwise unmanageable hair, take note! It's ridiculously expensive back home ($600+), but in Japan it's only $130~. For anyone gawking at that price, you must be blessed with well behaved hair!! Believe me, it's more than worth it!! I can now:
-Run my fingers through my hair without wincing
-Save 40+ minutes on my morning routine - that's 40 minutes every morning I'll never get back!!
-Air dry my hair and not look like I just got out of bed
-Blowdry my hair in 10 minutes and not look like I just got out of bed
-Get up and Go when I just get out of bed
There's a bit of a tradeoff, though, because the highlights I had done are particularly damaged so they have to be treated very delicately. I also do an at-home deep conditioning 2x per week. But, still TOTALLY WORTH IT!
Comparing to a Brazilian Blow Out, which I've also had done, I have to say that the texture of my hair after a BBO is actually much nicer. Stronger, shinier, smoother, prettier. However, the BBO has to be redone every 3 months at over $180 a pop. I highly recommend a BBO for curly girls wanting to see if the grass is really greener!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Noms!!
Gonna have to start getting creative with limited food options. (i.e.: cheap.) Some things that I expected to be prohibitively expensive (like in America) are actually quite inexpensive in Japan. For example: quail eggs! For a sum total of under $5, I made quail egg omelets with onion, phallic mushroom, garlic, and cheddar cheese (thanks mah) served with vine ripened tomato and buttered-sugared toast.
Yeah, I know, it doesn't look like an omelet. I consider "scrambled" and "omelet" functional synonyms. This is also why I'm not a chef.
Something we tried in class the other day was a cold "somen" noodle dip. There is an entire apparatus dedicated to this summer dish. The icy water churns counterclockwise, you spear your noodlies, dip 'em in the special sauce, and om nom nom them.
Something else I tried recently is salmon and avocado pancakes (!) at the pancake cafe in Omotesando. Look at how purty it is!!
Also, every weekend there is a farmers' market that assembles at the plaza across from AoGaku. You can get all kinds of delicious vegis and stuff. This week was something particularly interesting: Himalayan rock salt.
And those are today's strange and fascinating noms!! Also, in case you were wondering about that massive slab of <$5 salmon I posted last week...I ate all of it. Raw. And it was fantastic!!
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| DELICIOUS. |
Something we tried in class the other day was a cold "somen" noodle dip. There is an entire apparatus dedicated to this summer dish. The icy water churns counterclockwise, you spear your noodlies, dip 'em in the special sauce, and om nom nom them.
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| Like fishing for noodles. |
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| Tastes better than it looks. |
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| Pink rock salt: delicious. Black rock salt: not delicious. |
Intercultural Communication Presentation
The semester is coming to a close, and it's sad to think that most of the other 留学生 will be heading to their home countries this summer! But, I'll save that for another time. Today I had a presentation in my Intercultural Communication class on my "culture shock" experience as an American in Japan. I think it went well...I was quite impressed with the devotion of my group to producing an in depth analysis and well-rounded presentation Their insights from a Japanese perspective were fascinating! I won't bore you with the details; I'll just say that this was probably one of - if not the - best presentation groups with which I've ever had the pleasure of working.
Because it's relevant to my general theme of Stuff I Find Interesting, I'll let you in on a few of the cross-cultural quandries that piqued my interest.
Culture Shock!
The standard textbook model summarizes culture shock as the process through which one becomes adjusted to a new, generally alien host culture. It's a bit more involved than the popular culture version. There is actually a definable series of behaviors/attitudes that the shock-ee will likely experience in phases, not unlike the process of grieving. Well, that was a depressing analogy. Anyway, it goes something like
1. euphoria/excitement <-- everything is new and awesome
2. disorientation/confusion <-- things seem strange and even "wrong"
3. rejection/unhappiness <-- shutdown mode; everything sucks
4. getting your sea legs <-- figuring how to work past the differences
5. successful integration <--functional independence
Followed by:
6. Reentry shock <-- sometimes worse than the initial culture shock because it's unexpected!
If you're interested, I recommend wiki-ing it!
The Japanese Concept of "KY". An abbreviation of the phrase. Anyone who's spent significant time in Japan can attest to the significance of this phenomenon. It literally translates to "reading the air", or as used in context, usually "you're not reading the air!" You see, subtlty is a prevailing mode of communication in Japanese culture. It's manifested in everyday life EVERYWHERE. No one will come out and tell you they disagree with you or disapprove of something. Ever. You really have to pay close attention to their nonverbal cues to figure out what's really going on. If we had a western equivalent, it would be something along the lines of "take a hint", or "read between the lines." Though Japanese understand that many foreigners come from much more direct, or low context, cultures, sometimes asking for an explaination will get you nowhere. I have been lucky enough in my travels though that most people are willing to explain my own social gaffes if I just asked politely and ignorantly as possible. For example: "I'm sorry, can you explain to me what just happened? I'm a foreigner so I really don't understand, but I want to so it doesn't happen again!" Yes, I've actually said that. In many different situations!
Curriculum vitae
Most of us are painfully familiar with the process of drafting a professional, engaging, visually appealing and yet not over the top c.v. It must be technical, but not too cut and dry. It has to stand out, but not look ridiculous. And so on. Well, in Japan they fill out a standard form with predetermined fields for required info. It takes out all of the guesswork!! Also, you MUST include a recent personal photo. Here's another thing that might make the activist in each of us gawk: they admit to judging your "fit" for the job based on the conformity of your appearance - hair must be black and pulled back (girls), suit must be black, blouse must be white, face must usually be Japanese (!), no odd piercings and such, no showing your teeth! I'm not making this up. It's directly from other Japanese students and professors!
There was more but I'm boring myself. On to the next entry!!
Because it's relevant to my general theme of Stuff I Find Interesting, I'll let you in on a few of the cross-cultural quandries that piqued my interest.
Culture Shock!
The standard textbook model summarizes culture shock as the process through which one becomes adjusted to a new, generally alien host culture. It's a bit more involved than the popular culture version. There is actually a definable series of behaviors/attitudes that the shock-ee will likely experience in phases, not unlike the process of grieving. Well, that was a depressing analogy. Anyway, it goes something like
1. euphoria/excitement <-- everything is new and awesome
2. disorientation/confusion <-- things seem strange and even "wrong"
3. rejection/unhappiness <-- shutdown mode; everything sucks
4. getting your sea legs <-- figuring how to work past the differences
5. successful integration <--functional independence
Followed by:
6. Reentry shock <-- sometimes worse than the initial culture shock because it's unexpected!
If you're interested, I recommend wiki-ing it!
The Japanese Concept of "KY". An abbreviation of the phrase. Anyone who's spent significant time in Japan can attest to the significance of this phenomenon. It literally translates to "reading the air", or as used in context, usually "you're not reading the air!" You see, subtlty is a prevailing mode of communication in Japanese culture. It's manifested in everyday life EVERYWHERE. No one will come out and tell you they disagree with you or disapprove of something. Ever. You really have to pay close attention to their nonverbal cues to figure out what's really going on. If we had a western equivalent, it would be something along the lines of "take a hint", or "read between the lines." Though Japanese understand that many foreigners come from much more direct, or low context, cultures, sometimes asking for an explaination will get you nowhere. I have been lucky enough in my travels though that most people are willing to explain my own social gaffes if I just asked politely and ignorantly as possible. For example: "I'm sorry, can you explain to me what just happened? I'm a foreigner so I really don't understand, but I want to so it doesn't happen again!" Yes, I've actually said that. In many different situations!
Curriculum vitae
Most of us are painfully familiar with the process of drafting a professional, engaging, visually appealing and yet not over the top c.v. It must be technical, but not too cut and dry. It has to stand out, but not look ridiculous. And so on. Well, in Japan they fill out a standard form with predetermined fields for required info. It takes out all of the guesswork!! Also, you MUST include a recent personal photo. Here's another thing that might make the activist in each of us gawk: they admit to judging your "fit" for the job based on the conformity of your appearance - hair must be black and pulled back (girls), suit must be black, blouse must be white, face must usually be Japanese (!), no odd piercings and such, no showing your teeth! I'm not making this up. It's directly from other Japanese students and professors!
There was more but I'm boring myself. On to the next entry!!
Friday, June 24, 2011
There's some drunk dude outside screaming at 4:20am
I woke up before dawn this nice Saturday morning to the sound of a drunk Brit pounding on doors and screaming for "Simon you f-ing c-nt, open the f-ing door!"
"Simon" never appeared, but the whole neighboorhood now knows that Simon has this guy's keys, phone, and shoes. WTF.
"Simon" never appeared, but the whole neighboorhood now knows that Simon has this guy's keys, phone, and shoes. WTF.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Blast from the Past
I just found out that my old best friend from childhood, Tami, has been trying to get in contact!! Jebus, I haven't heard from her in, what, 15 years?!
It's crazy because I've also been wondering about how she's been these last few years...looks like she still had my parents' number and left a message. We kinda stopped talking around middle school...haven't been in contact since. Wow, I feel like that was a different lifetime ago!! Maybe we'll manage to get together soon and catch up!
So many things can happen in 15 years...who is she now? How's life been treating her, etc. etc. etc. So exciting!
It's crazy because I've also been wondering about how she's been these last few years...looks like she still had my parents' number and left a message. We kinda stopped talking around middle school...haven't been in contact since. Wow, I feel like that was a different lifetime ago!! Maybe we'll manage to get together soon and catch up!
So many things can happen in 15 years...who is she now? How's life been treating her, etc. etc. etc. So exciting!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Deep Thoughts
(DT1)I just had a bowl of umeshu-flavored rice porridge. That's pickled plum. It was gross.
(DT2)My feet are cracking!! I've never had that happen before - they've always been so well behaved. How do I make it stop? いたい！
(DT3)Thanks, ma, for sending me a box of my favorite cereal!! Flax-seed pumpkin raisin from CostCo. Yes, I know, it sounds terrible, but it's DELICIOUS!!
And those are today's Deep Thoughts.
(DT2)My feet are cracking!! I've never had that happen before - they've always been so well behaved. How do I make it stop? いたい！
(DT3)Thanks, ma, for sending me a box of my favorite cereal!! Flax-seed pumpkin raisin from CostCo. Yes, I know, it sounds terrible, but it's DELICIOUS!!
And those are today's Deep Thoughts.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Signs, signs, eeeeeeverywhere the signs...
I have been preparing this post for weeks now!! Collecting pics in train stations (and getting stared at a lot for it), parks, sidewalks, restaurants...anywhere I saw a cartoon or Engrish that made me gawk. From cute, confusing, nonsensical, disturbing, to complete wtf...it is with great pride that I now bring them to you!!
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Gettin' down with yo' bad self!
At first I thought these stickers were telling dogs to chill. Then I thought, naw, someone just really hates scotty dogs.
No comment necessary. Repost, but totally worth it.
Huh?
Navigating the trains. WTF.
Uhuhuh. (Repost)
Snoop-dawg!!
WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING TO THAT DOG?!
I know there's a funny caption here somewhere...
Gloves. 3 fingers. Want.
DDAAAAAWWWWWWWWW!!!!!
Absolute nonsense. They didn't even TRY with this one.
This sign is asking people not to let their wet umbrellas drip on others. Awesome.
I don't know what's going on here.
Black Cat Delivery Service. I LOVE this company logo!!
First English line. I find this more depressing than inspiring.
Squish.
I got you a present.
As opposed to...fake? (Repost.)
Just in case it isn't clear, here's a drawing of what NOT to do.
＊＊el fin＊＊
Saturday, June 18, 2011
I think I'm in love...
...with Japan! (And you, bebe! <3) Today was amazing. Slept in nice and late, so already it was shaping up to be a great day.
At about 1p, met a 日本語のclassmate, Jacob, to find a つまらない物 (gift for the host) for the day's festivities. A chat room student had invited us over to her grandmother's old Japanese style house for tea ceremony. The invitation into someone's home is an incredible honor for anyone, let alone foreigners! And so, we went to the Tokyu market at Shibuya station in search of our "boring thing."
A funny word for a gift, but it makes sense, you see: in Japanese culture, one must always bring a gift for one's host. However, the gift's value is of supreme importance. So, it is proper form when presenting the gift to say, "This is just a boring thing..., (but please have it)." The implication being that, regardless of the the gift's actual value, it in no way reflects on the significance of your relationship with the host. Modesty at its finest. After some foraging, we decided upon a sweet, flavored bread assortment, thinking that (a) it's presentable, being colorful, wrapped and pretty to look at, and (b) in case she didn't like or couldn't eat particularly sweet things, hopefully, it would still be yummy. That, and the name of the store pwned.
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Huhuh. Fruit is also a popular gift, being imported from the Asian continent. Many of the finest specimens are selected as special gifts, and single melons/tropical fruits can reach into the $100s.
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And so, off we went to meet Naoko and her g-ma. Her house once belonged to Naoko's great grandfather. It was built about 90 years ago and was still in excellent condition. We were told ahead of time, but were still shocked to see the house was HUGE, and a beautiful garden completely circumscribed it. I didn't take pics of the house, out of politeness, but here's the garden. For reference, my apartment is about the size of that veranda!
Naoko and I in front of the house. The demon dogs scare away the gaijin.
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The hydrangea are in bloom!
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Dunno why, but I really like this pic:
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Naoko showed us the old hand-well on the property, too. Although it's since been...um...repurposed, the pump is still functional!
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Naoko's grandma made us traditional o-cha (powdered and whisked green tea), sencha, and afternoon teas, and served us all kinds of traditional Japanese sweets: some with red bean, some "dry" sweets that melt in your mouth, and all very artistically constructed. Food is literally an art here. The sweets were so beautiful I was afraid to eat them! Naoko had even gone out of her way to purchase "Western" cakes in case we weren't fond of Japanese desserts: multilayered chocolate cake, cheese cake, fruit-tart cake, chocolate mousse cake...I can't even describe how amazingly thoughtful that was! Virtually complete strangers going to such trouble!! And everything was delicious!! Pics coming soon from Jacob's camera.
As all good things must come to an end, after an enjoyable afternoon practicing Japanese and talking with Naoko and grandma about Japan and her travels abroad, as we were putting our shoes back on, grandma surprized us once again by presenting us with these beautiful, super soft deerskin(!!) bags. I'm not entirely certain of all the customs regarding gifts here, so though I was very tempted to refuse such an appreciatable and extravagent gift, I felt like it was required to accept(?). I really hope it was right...sometimes it really feels like I'm stomping my way through the culture. 外人スマーシ!
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Oh, and I saw this in the コンビに (convenience store) on the way home:
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Such an incredible day!! Today has left me dazed, a little confused, and absolutely, deeply grateful! I mean, how many foreigners can say that they were invited over to a beautiful, 90-year-old Japanese home for tea and the opportunity to chat with a person from another culture and a completely different generation?! It still amazes me. Virtually complete strangers showing such incredible thoughtfulness and kindness...there's no cultural parallel for this in America. All I can say is...wow....thank you!!
At about 1p, met a 日本語のclassmate, Jacob, to find a つまらない物 (gift for the host) for the day's festivities. A chat room student had invited us over to her grandmother's old Japanese style house for tea ceremony. The invitation into someone's home is an incredible honor for anyone, let alone foreigners! And so, we went to the Tokyu market at Shibuya station in search of our "boring thing."
A funny word for a gift, but it makes sense, you see: in Japanese culture, one must always bring a gift for one's host. However, the gift's value is of supreme importance. So, it is proper form when presenting the gift to say, "This is just a boring thing..., (but please have it)." The implication being that, regardless of the the gift's actual value, it in no way reflects on the significance of your relationship with the host. Modesty at its finest. After some foraging, we decided upon a sweet, flavored bread assortment, thinking that (a) it's presentable, being colorful, wrapped and pretty to look at, and (b) in case she didn't like or couldn't eat particularly sweet things, hopefully, it would still be yummy. That, and the name of the store pwned.
Les Deux Magots.
Huhuh. Fruit is also a popular gift, being imported from the Asian continent. Many of the finest specimens are selected as special gifts, and single melons/tropical fruits can reach into the $100s.
~$130 Massive Mango (about a foot across!!)
And so, off we went to meet Naoko and her g-ma. Her house once belonged to Naoko's great grandfather. It was built about 90 years ago and was still in excellent condition. We were told ahead of time, but were still shocked to see the house was HUGE, and a beautiful garden completely circumscribed it. I didn't take pics of the house, out of politeness, but here's the garden. For reference, my apartment is about the size of that veranda!
Naoko and I in front of the house. The demon dogs scare away the gaijin.
Veranda.
This makes Jacob happy.
Garden
The hydrangea are in bloom!
Even more garden!
Dunno why, but I really like this pic:
Naoko showed us the old hand-well on the property, too. Although it's since been...um...repurposed, the pump is still functional!
Old hand well.
Naoko's grandma made us traditional o-cha (powdered and whisked green tea), sencha, and afternoon teas, and served us all kinds of traditional Japanese sweets: some with red bean, some "dry" sweets that melt in your mouth, and all very artistically constructed. Food is literally an art here. The sweets were so beautiful I was afraid to eat them! Naoko had even gone out of her way to purchase "Western" cakes in case we weren't fond of Japanese desserts: multilayered chocolate cake, cheese cake, fruit-tart cake, chocolate mousse cake...I can't even describe how amazingly thoughtful that was! Virtually complete strangers going to such trouble!! And everything was delicious!! Pics coming soon from Jacob's camera.
Insert "sweets" pics here. Coming soon....
As all good things must come to an end, after an enjoyable afternoon practicing Japanese and talking with Naoko and grandma about Japan and her travels abroad, as we were putting our shoes back on, grandma surprized us once again by presenting us with these beautiful, super soft deerskin(!!) bags. I'm not entirely certain of all the customs regarding gifts here, so though I was very tempted to refuse such an appreciatable and extravagent gift, I felt like it was required to accept(?). I really hope it was right...sometimes it really feels like I'm stomping my way through the culture. 外人スマーシ!
Deerskin!! Jesus.
Oh, and I saw this in the コンビに (convenience store) on the way home:
Goddamn, I love Japan.
Such an incredible day!! Today has left me dazed, a little confused, and absolutely, deeply grateful! I mean, how many foreigners can say that they were invited over to a beautiful, 90-year-old Japanese home for tea and the opportunity to chat with a person from another culture and a completely different generation?! It still amazes me. Virtually complete strangers showing such incredible thoughtfulness and kindness...there's no cultural parallel for this in America. All I can say is...wow....thank you!!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
The Dating Habits of the Japanese Male - ALL TRUE STORIES
*~*~*~Dating Story #1~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I was asked out for a drink earlier this week by a Japanese guy. It was very cute. I told him that I was flattered, but that my husband probably wouldn't appreciate it...
Because of the language barrier, I had to mumble something similar in Japanese, so it went something like this:
me: [私の夫。。。]
him: "OMG YOU'RE MARRIED?!"
me: *nod*
him: He got down on his knees!! "OMG I AM SO SORRY!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!! I'M SO SORRY!!" And he was serious!
But all's well that ends well...I told him it was ok, no harm done and we all laughed. I have never seen someone apologize so sincerely!! It was very gratitude-invoking...I felt like thanking him for apologizing. Is that weird? And a little amusing, too, but only because he took it well!
I was asked out for a drink earlier this week by a Japanese guy. It was very cute. I told him that I was flattered, but that my husband probably wouldn't appreciate it...
Because of the language barrier, I had to mumble something similar in Japanese, so it went something like this:
me: [私の夫。。。]
him: "OMG YOU'RE MARRIED?!"
me: *nod*
him: He got down on his knees!! "OMG I AM SO SORRY!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!! I'M SO SORRY!!" And he was serious!
But all's well that ends well...I told him it was ok, no harm done and we all laughed. I have never seen someone apologize so sincerely!! It was very gratitude-invoking...I felt like thanking him for apologizing. Is that weird? And a little amusing, too, but only because he took it well!
*~*~*~Dating Story #2~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Met a friend for lunch and Harajuku scouring today. We were on a mission: to locate and purchase the most ridiculous necklace I'd ever seen. I had seen a Japanese girl in my InterCom class wearing it - it read:
FUCKTHISYOU
ARESTUPIDIAM
OUTTAHERE
in bright, happy neon colors. The shit they sell here...Anywho, as she was waiting for me at the train station, a man approached her. She wasn't particularly interested, since all kinds of weirdos hang out at train stations, so she didn't bother taking off her headphones. But he started talking to her, even though she couldn't hear him. She tried to get her point across by ignoring him, but he persisted. Suddenly a massive wad of cash waved in front of her face. She said she got up from her seat right then and there and got the hell out of there. But not before stealing a backwards glance: it was a man in his mid- to late-60's!! What's more - she said this wasn't the first time that happened!!
And that is today's introduction to The Dating Habits of the Japanese Male. That really happened!! Hope you've enjoyed!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Stick with Me and You'll See All Kinds of Crazy Shiz
Riding the train through Tokyo, minding our own business, Wil and I witnessed a strange and rare thing. First, let me say that people rarely ever use their phones on the trains, and if they do, it is very briefly and ashamedly in hushed tones. There are even special "priority" seats on the train where phone use is completely prohibitted. So we were very surprized and - dare I admit it - entertained, when the woman across from us began screaming into her phone. Repeatedly. For a good 10 minutes. Everyone in the car was glancing nervously and/or inquisitively in her direction. She got so loud that her voice rattled in my brain! But we were captivated. Here was a Japanese woman, the epitome of cultured and polite society, breaking all sorts of social etiquette rules like a bull in a china shop. I don't know all of what was said, but the conversation ended with the Japanese equivalent of "f-ing bastard!" Wil has been in Japan for 10 months and he said he'd never seen anything like it. I made a joke about him seeing all kinds of crazy shit when with me. We had our laugh. Moving on.
Later, walking through Ueno, we came to an intersection outside the station...and something seemed...off. I'm not sure what...it was too...quiet, maybe? Halfway across I found out why.
There was a guy, just laying in the street. A cabbie was just staring at him outside his window. At first I was sure it was a prank. Someone being silly. The cabbie drove off, uninvolved. Then I thought, nah, he's too drunk and maybe the asphalt looked nice and cozy (not unusual to see in Japan). But no, it was too early for the drunks to come out. I was this close to taking a picture ==>| |<==. Then I realized he wasn't moving. Shit. I ran over to see if he was ok. Or at least, alive. Good, he was breathing. I asked Wil how to say "can you hear me" in JP (kakioka or something similar) and leaned over towards his face to see if he would respond...he didn't. I was afraid to move him in any way that might worsen any possible head, neck, or spinal injuries. Damn. He's got a concussion, and a bad one. All I could do was tap his skyward shoulder and repeat my questions. Are you ok? Can you hear me? What's your name? Excuse me, sir. Other people came over and furiously looked up numbers (?) on their iPad/cell phone. I understood enough to know they were calling for an ambulance and explaining the situation...the driver (not the cabbie) had left the scene. Someone quickly but gingerly began digging though the man's waistpack for ID. I was impressed by the ingenuity of such a simple action. Being a foreigner, I am very very hesitant to touch other people's things, since foreigners carry the stigma of petty crime here. No point in stoking the fire. Just yesterday I found a wallet on the steps in the train station, and I made a particularly grandiose show of holding it out from my body almost distastefully so that people would not erroneously assume I was "taking" it as I carried it to lost and found. Anyway, the guy was still unresponsive. We were standing there for a good 10 minutes before he moved at all...and he still wasn't responding to requests for his identity or state. Finally, he started to twitch. His shoe was several feet away, and he was laying on his arm in a pose that I would only expect from contortionists and cheerleaders. His face had fresh bloody scratches, and it was wet with all kinds of fluids. His pants were all scuffed black from the asphalt, and were wet (poor guy). When he finally managed to roll over, his eyes drifted towards the sky. They were red, very glassy, and completely unable to track anything. We almost made eye contact, but his eyes just drifted away. The thought struck me that he probably couldn't see anything or at least make sense of it. Wow. He must have really been hit hard. That's one hell of a concussion. I thought, oh shit, he's going to die. Not again, damnit.
But no, he started to kind of move his mouth and his legs. Phew. By now enough people had gathered with sufficient Japanese ability that we decided it was time to get out of the way. We had done all we could do with our limited resources. About a block away, we encountered the bicycle-police rushing to the scene, and maybe 15 minutes after that, heard the ambulance's siren. Damnit, I needed some caffiene. This was sobering shit. Starbucks - and subsequent ice cream - it is. Over 40 minutes later on our return route, the street was almost completely blocked off with police redirecting traffic. The man was gone, but the ambulance was still there.
I hope he's ok. Talk about a life changing experience.
Later, walking through Ueno, we came to an intersection outside the station...and something seemed...off. I'm not sure what...it was too...quiet, maybe? Halfway across I found out why.
There was a guy, just laying in the street. A cabbie was just staring at him outside his window. At first I was sure it was a prank. Someone being silly. The cabbie drove off, uninvolved. Then I thought, nah, he's too drunk and maybe the asphalt looked nice and cozy (not unusual to see in Japan). But no, it was too early for the drunks to come out. I was this close to taking a picture ==>| |<==. Then I realized he wasn't moving. Shit. I ran over to see if he was ok. Or at least, alive. Good, he was breathing. I asked Wil how to say "can you hear me" in JP (kakioka or something similar) and leaned over towards his face to see if he would respond...he didn't. I was afraid to move him in any way that might worsen any possible head, neck, or spinal injuries. Damn. He's got a concussion, and a bad one. All I could do was tap his skyward shoulder and repeat my questions. Are you ok? Can you hear me? What's your name? Excuse me, sir. Other people came over and furiously looked up numbers (?) on their iPad/cell phone. I understood enough to know they were calling for an ambulance and explaining the situation...the driver (not the cabbie) had left the scene. Someone quickly but gingerly began digging though the man's waistpack for ID. I was impressed by the ingenuity of such a simple action. Being a foreigner, I am very very hesitant to touch other people's things, since foreigners carry the stigma of petty crime here. No point in stoking the fire. Just yesterday I found a wallet on the steps in the train station, and I made a particularly grandiose show of holding it out from my body almost distastefully so that people would not erroneously assume I was "taking" it as I carried it to lost and found. Anyway, the guy was still unresponsive. We were standing there for a good 10 minutes before he moved at all...and he still wasn't responding to requests for his identity or state. Finally, he started to twitch. His shoe was several feet away, and he was laying on his arm in a pose that I would only expect from contortionists and cheerleaders. His face had fresh bloody scratches, and it was wet with all kinds of fluids. His pants were all scuffed black from the asphalt, and were wet (poor guy). When he finally managed to roll over, his eyes drifted towards the sky. They were red, very glassy, and completely unable to track anything. We almost made eye contact, but his eyes just drifted away. The thought struck me that he probably couldn't see anything or at least make sense of it. Wow. He must have really been hit hard. That's one hell of a concussion. I thought, oh shit, he's going to die. Not again, damnit.
But no, he started to kind of move his mouth and his legs. Phew. By now enough people had gathered with sufficient Japanese ability that we decided it was time to get out of the way. We had done all we could do with our limited resources. About a block away, we encountered the bicycle-police rushing to the scene, and maybe 15 minutes after that, heard the ambulance's siren. Damnit, I needed some caffiene. This was sobering shit. Starbucks - and subsequent ice cream - it is. Over 40 minutes later on our return route, the street was almost completely blocked off with police redirecting traffic. The man was gone, but the ambulance was still there.
I hope he's ok. Talk about a life changing experience.
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