Spam Curry~

I love Spam. Many people find Spam to be strange and inedible, but I grew up eating it and I think it is just delicious. It compliments so many different things - rice, eggs, noodles, pancakes, green beans. Oh, the combinations are seemingly endless!

And it comes in so many different varieties! They don't just come in blue cans, you know. I've tried most of the ones in this picture:

Spam spread - bought a can, but was too afraid to open it.

Spam Lite - no flavor!
Limited Edition Hawaii can - Hawaii can made it more delicious~
Reduced Sodium Spam - my favorite! I can even buy it in Japan.
Garlic Spam - amazing.
Spam with Cheese - I will admit this one was kinda weird.
Turkey Spam - do not want! Strange texture and flavor is lacking.
Limited Edition Monty Python and the Holy Grail Honey Spam - Saw the Broadway production and bought a can, but didn't open it. Might be too old by now, but I'd still save the can.
Bacon Spam - I'm actually going through a can of this right now. My two favorite meats in one!
BBQ Spam - I did not know this existed before I found this photo. BUY ME A CAN SOMEONE PLEASE.
Spicy Spam - my 3rd favorite. They make a spicier version for southeast Asia.
Hickory Smoke Spam - my 2nd favorite, so smokey~

So knowing how much I love this mystery meat, you must imagine my utter glee when my dear friend Tracy gave me a box of Spam Curry!

Supamu Kare-!

Seriously, she sent me a photo of it sitting on a combini shelf and I told her YOU MUST BUY A BOX FOR ME. I warmed it up last week when I was too lazy to go to the store.

I'm sad to say that I was slightly disappointed. The curry totally covered up the deliciousness of the Spam, so it was like eating any other packaged curry I've ever had. How dare they ruin my Spam! But it was otherwise a satisfactory dinner, even if I couldn't fully experience the Spammy goodness. Maybe this would be good for Spam novices, who need to become accustomed to the unique texture of Spam before taking on the flavor.

Four Months Later (2 of 2)

I can think of a few awful events that have occurred in the last decade somewhere in my great homeland of America, but I was usually fairly removed from them. I was sleeping in my bed, safe and sound in Hawaii when those four planes wreaked havoc on the east coast in September of 2001. I watched the events endlessly looped on the news stations that day and in the weeks following, but I could go about my day as a freshman in high school and not think about it until someone brought it up. Hurricane Katrina and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico were events on television that other people had to live through. Not that I didn't sympathize with their struggles or wasn't angry at the government or BP, but I didn't have to deal with it personally. Terrible things can happen in one area and people outside that community don't even notice or care. America is just that big of a country where it happens.

From what I've gathered in my everyday interactions with Japanese people, this is not the case for them following March 11. Maybe they didn't feel the earthquake and only found out about it when they went home for the day, but it weighs on them. The threat of another big earthquake, not just in Tohoku but anywhere in the country, is very real and upsetting. No one is so removed from it that they aren't affected in a very personal way. People lose sleep over it. Some can't express what they feel - the stress, the worry, the fear. What happened in Tohoku is not something that has been forgotten by anyone in Japan, no matter how far away one lives, as it might've been in America. It surprises and humbles me because I don't think I'd ever see that back home.

For many of the people I talk to, they're just as concerned about total strangers as they would be their own family. Sometimes it comes off as an identity thing, "We have to take care of those people, we're all Japanese." We say those things in America too, "Oh we're all Americans at this tragic time blah blah blah," but it always came off as a nice sound bite to me. We say it but we don't mean it. I feel like Japanese people are a bit more sincere about it.*

The response to foreign aid also made an impact on me. I feel like no one can believe that people outside of Japan care. I've had people break down in front of me over how grateful they were for all the money that everyday folks and celebrities gave to charities, and how other countries sent soldiers to help clean up the affected areas. Someone told me that all the ridiculous amounts of money foreigners donated inspired her to start donating to international charities more often, and not only for disasters. I hope that all that money and good will actually goes toward helping the people who need it most.

Of course, these are simply my observations and I am always open to more viewpoints and stories. For myself, I still think I'm lucky and I can't complain about my current situation. This is the closest I ever want to be to this sort of disaster and I hope we don't have to live through anything like this again anytime soon.

*I've been reading more articles on how people from Fukushima are being discriminated against. I feel like that's happened before - group of people in Japan being treated badly because of fears related to nuclear radiation...

Four Months Later (1 of 2)

Japan won the Women's World Cup earlier today, and it was fantastic and amazing on its own for a variety of reasons. It was the first time any Asian team won the tournament, and the fact that the Nadeshiko won it after this spring's earthquake/tsunami was a big deal. Everything was well and good until the more bitter Americans got on the internet to say all kinds of horrible things about the team and how they didn't deserve the win. I wasn't awake to see it myself, but I read that racial slurs aimed at the Japanese and references to Pearl Harbor were trending on Twitter and I saw some fairly indignant reactions to the game on Facebook from my own friends.

I've been meaning to post an update on things concerning 3/11 for a little while and considering the lovely comments people are making, I thought now would be a good time to remind anyone who stumbles across my blog what the Japanese people are still going through four months later.

Buy a print here, it's sweet and proceeds go to charity.

There are more than 20,000 people dead or missing.

There are more than 37,000 people still living in shelters (i.e. school cafeterias, community centers, etc). If you need those numbers put in prospective, Creighton University's student population is about 7,000 and the University of Hawaii has more than 20,000 students. Survivors of a devastating double-disaster (triple if you count Fukushima) been living in shelters that make my freshman dormitory seem like a luxury resort for the same length of time as a semester in college. Problems with theft and sexual assault have arisen, and the general lack of privacy is a huge burden for everyone living in the shelters.

The increase in suicides following 3/11 has prompted the government to do a survey on it. There are at least 132 children who lost both parents in the tsunami and maybe 1,200 who lost at least one parent. Mainichi Daily killed most of the links, but I the stories I've forced myself to read about how these people are suffering leave me feeling helpless and numb. I think of my students and I can't imagine that sort of horrible tragedy befalling them - it's heartbreaking. 

TEPCO appears to be run by a bunch of idiots who are really good at hiding their idiocy. Fukushima experienced a melt-down by the morning of March 12 and eventually experienced a full melt-through. At this point we're on par with, if not worse than, Chernobyl. But they didn't tell anyone until a few weeks ago and I hope someone is going to jail for that, among other things. We had radioactive beef circulating Tokyo supermarkets, but apparently it doesn't glow green like on The Simpsons and most of it has already been ingested. Oh, and they're not compensating elementary schools or old folks' homes that were affected by the nuclear disaster. I didn't know I was back in America where it's okay to screw over students and old people! I should also mention the yakuza were more helpful in the aftermath of 3/11 than the government to some extent, mostly because they laugh in the face of red tape.

This is all the "official" stuff, too. I'm going to write about my own experiences next time, because some of that is important and I haven't talked about it all that much.

And stop berating the Japanese for winning a very meaningful soccer game and giving them a reason to celebrate in these difficult times.

Happy Food Things

Three angry wall-o-text posts in a row was quite enough. WE NEEDZ MOAR PICTURZ!!! OF FOODZ!!!

A few weeks ago Tracy and I stopped into Cafe L'Occitane, which overlooks the Shibuya scramble crosswalk. I used to sell their skincare products when I worked at Ala Moana, so I was curious about their cafe. It's a nice place with a menu full of cakes, teas, coffee, and light entrees. I liked all of Tracy's choices a lot better than mine haha. 

Tasted like coffee.

I'm going back just for this thing, it was light and fizzy and awesome.

Looks kinda boring, but it was a really good cheesecake.

The next weekend we wandered around Shin-Yokohama station's mall and found this super kawaii cafe. We had maguro avocado dons, which are the closest things we'll ever get to poke bowls in this country. I MISS POKE OMG.

Their menus were photo albums!

OM NOM NOM.

Caroline and Kenjer took me to Kappa Sushi, which is way better than Genki or Kuru Kuru will ever be. YEAH I SAID IT. BETTER THAN KURU KURU.

Me: OH Kappa like MY kappa at school! (referring to a prop)
Kenjer: WHAT??? Your kappa???
Caroline: LOL

Waiting for our table.

Futuristic touch screen menu technology!

How awesome would it be if the the IRL shinkansen
had sushi on it in proportion to this shinkansen/sushi pair???

OM NOM NOM.

IT WAS GOOD.

YAY.

The Tampon Incident: UPDATE

After writing that post about being encouraged to carry my used tampons in my purse, I received a lot of feedback!

It seems the person quoted in that last post is very much alone in her ways and that none of my female friends have ever been asked to do that, native Japanese or foreigners living in Japan. THANK GOODNESS.

Thinking about all the comments I got (on Twitter, Facebook, here), I don't know if she was lying to try to convince me to change my behavior because she is uncomfortable with it or if she genuinely practices what she preaches and she's got some kind of bloody mess in her bag. I'm not okay with either situation.

I didn't mention it in the other post, but she came to a "compromise" for us: if I want to throw away my applicators at work, I have to use these little black plastic bags that exist for the sole purpose of throwing away feminine products. Our normal garbage bags are big clear plastic bags and to have a bunch of little black bags in the big clear one is stupid. Everyone knows what's in them and they only serve as another level of shaming. As I said before, you can look at a tampon wrapper in a garbage bag and be an adult about it. Menstruation happens, it's a fact of life for most of us womenfolk. Get over it.

[I'd also like to go on a small tangent about how shops use similar black plastic bags when you buy pads or tampons. The only other products they use them for are condoms, which I can understand a little bit more since it's a sex product. But if I see a girl carrying around a bright yellow Don Quixote bag and there's a black plastic bag in there, EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT IT IS. The employees at the register always take forever to wrap those things because they're supposed to use the black bags, and everyone in line knows what you're buying since it's taking so long to bag. They do this in America as well, but most of the time they use a brown paper bag inside a plastic bag. It's not quite as obvious since they bag heavier items that way, too.]

The other situation would be that she actually does this herself. That someone probably told her, in her youth after her menarche, that all women should do this and if you don't you're stupid/awful/not a woman/etc. I'm less inclined to believe this situation, but I have no way to judge. I'd be more sympathetic and less angry if this were the case.

I will now go back to posting fun things for a little while, as I rediscovered some photos from weeks past and will be having more happy adventures soon. YAY.

The Tampon Incident

READER BEWARE: This post contains swearing and excessive use of the Caps Lock key. You have been warned.

I am a woman. I am relatively healthy. I could eat better and exercise more, but I digress. As far as I know, my bodily functions are all in order because of my good health. I am of child-bearing age and menstruate regularly, which means things get a little bloody about once a month. This is a completely normal and expected part of my ovulation cycle. Sometimes the timing of these normal bodily functions overlap with my work schedule.

"Who threw away tampons in the trash?"

I did. It wasn't the bloody used tampon, just the applicator in the wrapper. If you need a diagram for why tampons have applicators, Google is your friend.

I flush the used tampons, put the applicator back in the wrapper (Japanese ones allow for this), and throw the wrapped applicator into a trash can that has a lid and is located behind a curtain.

"Please don't throw them away there."

I honestly couldn't think of an alternative and I'm sure my face made that obvious.

"Please take them home with you."

WHY IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST WOULD I DO THAT??? JUST HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT, EXACTLY??? PUT IT BACK IN MY PURSE AND LET IT FESTER IN MY BAG ALL DAY WHILE I'M AT WORK???

"Yes."

SHE SAID THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE, TOO. CARLY, PUT THAT SHIT BACK IN YOUR BAG. IT DOESN'T BELONG IN THE TRASH AT WORK. IT BELONGS IN YOUR TRASH AT HOME.

AND WITH WHAT SORT OF ASS BACKWARDS MOST LIKELY MISOGYNISTIC REASONING ARE YOU GOING TO TRY TO CONVINCE ME THAT THIS IS EVEN SLIGHTLY OKAY??? BECAUSE AT THIS VERY MOMENT THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DISGUSTING THINGS I HAVE EVER BEEN SERIOUSLY TOLD TO DO.

"All Japanese women do this."

FUCK THAT. FUCK THAT. FUCK THAT. FUCK THAT.

ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME THAT EVERY MENSTRUATING WOMAN IN JAPAN DOES THIS??? SCHOOL GIRLS, OFFICE LADIES, HOUSEWIVES GO AROUND CARRYING THEIR USED PADS AND TAMPONS IN THEIR BAGS ALL DAY IN ORDER TO THROW THEM AWAY AT HOME??? THEY CARRY THEIR USED FEMININE PRODUCTS IN RESTAURANTS, ON THE TRAIN, IN THE OFFICE, AND IN THEIR SCHOOLBAGS???

SO EVERYWHERE THERE IS A WOMAN WITH A BAG SHE IS POTENTIALLY CARRYING ALL HER USED PADS AND TAMPONS??? THAT IF SHE FORGOT TO THROW THEM AWAY THE DAY BEFORE THEY'VE BEEN IN THERE FOR THAT MUCH LONGER???

THIS IS NOT OKAY. THIS IS SOME FORM OF SHAMING AND UNSANITARY. THIS IS NOT A CULTURAL STANDARD I AM EVER GOING TO EVEN CONSIDER FOLLOWING. FUCK THAT.

OKAY SERIOUSLY YOU MUST HAVE SOMETHING BETTER TO DEFEND THIS WITH.

"Moms can't throw away diapers here."

BECAUSE DIAPERS ARE FULL OF FECES AND URINE. THEIR KIDS ARE HERE FOR AN HOUR. THAT DIAPER WILL BE IN THE TRASH CAN UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY, AND THEN IN A TRASH BAG BEHIND THE CURTAIN IN THE BATHROOM UNTIL THE NEXT TRASH DAY.

MY TAMPON APPLICATOR HAS MAYBE MAYBE MAYBE THE SMALLEST SMEAR OF BLOOD ON IT. YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SMELL IT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TRASH CAN. YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T SMELL IT IF IT WAS ON TOP OF THE TRASH CAN.

AND YOU DIDN'T NOTICE THEM UNTIL I'D BEEN WORKING HERE FOR FOUR MONTHS.

YOUR ARGUMENT IS INVALID. USED DIAPERS DO NOT EVEN SLIGHTLY COMPARE TO USED TAMPON APPLICATORS.

ANYTHING ELSE???

"The men might see it in the trash when they clean the bathroom."

OH.

THE POOR MEN.

THINK OF THE POOR MEN.

THEY MIGHT GET COOTIES. THEY MIGHT FEEL ICKY AT THE SIGHT OF A TAMPON WRAPPER. THEY MIGHT THINK OF A BLEEDING VAGINA AND WANT TO CUT OFF THEIR PENISES.

YOU POOR THINGS CAN GET USED TO IT. I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS DAMNED MENSTRUATION CYCLE EVERY MONTH SINCE I WAS 12. I HAVE TO TAKE 800MG OF IBUPROFEN EVERY FOUR HOURS JUST TO FUNCTION. PERIOD SHITS ARE REALLY FUN, TOO. IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE KICK YOU IN THE NUTS EVERY FIVE MINUTES WHEN YOU HAVE DIARRHEA,  MAYBE I'LL THINK OF YOU POOR MEN.

UNTIL THEN YOU CAN GLANCE AT MY FUCKING TAMPON WRAPPER IN THE TRASH WHERE IT BELONGS AND BE A GODDAMN ADULT ABOUT IT.

IF YOU ARE WONDERING IF THIS ENTIRE STORY REALLY HAPPENED, IT DID. TODAY. THOSE QUOTES ARE REAL.


SO FUCKING GROSS ON SO MANY LEVELS.

Smoothing my skirt under my ass, and other things

As much as I earnestly try to avoid judging Japanese culture, it happens. I was raised in America and I'll probably always see the world that way to some extent, so some things just BOTHER ME because I wasn't brought up to do x, y, z or believe a, b, c, or what have you.

Gender roles in Japanese society irritate me. A lot. The injustices and double-standards women are subjected to here are almost too much to bear sometimes*. I could rant about the politics and rape culture in Japan for forever (I could rant about the same topics in America, as well), but I'll try to keep it a bit shallow for now.

A few weeks ago I was watching some variety/talk show on TV, where they were doing random top 5 lists. My Japanese is absolute fail, so I'm going to guess from the content of the segment that this top 5 was about easy things women can do to appear more desirable, attractive, and feminine at work. Some female "expert" on these matters would explain or demonstrate her recommendations, and the stereotypical pretty female co-host would try them in a role-play situation with one of the dumpy male comedians. Hilarity would then ensue.

I got through two of these recommendations before I turned off my TV. I tried to find videos of this on YouTube but couldn't, so I must describe what happened. The first was how to pick up and return a guy's pen if he happened to drop it in front of you. You should position yourself to pick up the pen at your side, rather than facing the pen head on. If you happen to be wearing a skirt, smooth your skirt under you as you gently kneel down. Don't bend both knees at the same angle as if you were squatting in a seiza position, keep one knee slightly higher. Your torso should be kept upright and the arm that is picking up the pen must be perfectly straight - it creates a very attractive line down the body. Pick up the pen, stand up keeping your arm in the same position, and extend your arm to the guy. Smile and say, "Excuse me, you dropped your pen. Here you are."

The second wasn't quite as bad. The "expert" said that women should face forward when putting up their hair in a ponytail, rather than looking down. I admit I put my hair up this way because it's easier on my neck and shoulders, and if both my hands are occupied I feel like I should be watching what's going on around me. However, according to the "expert" this is a far more attractive way to put up your hair, because people are able to see you with nice posture and take in the beauty of your face. If you bend your neck down while putting up your hair you kind of look like a disgusting troll.

I'm not so naive to think that appearances don't matter. The Japanese are especially concerned with how others perceive them, and its importance in society is summed up nicely with the phrase hito no me. But sometimes it seems the need to have the perfect outward facade outweighs more important things. Japan Today reported that pretty people who are as dumb as rocks will get the job more often than smart people with average looks. In their experiment, every single one of the models, even the ones who made themselves out to look like complete idiots, were hired over the average joes.

I do feel I've experienced this at work - something small I did or did not do regarding my appearance or demeanor was not up to snuff and I received not-so-nice comments about it. I don't feel comfortable detailing it on my very public blog, but it's always over something really dumb. I find it particularly annoying that my questions or concerns about important aspects of my job are regularly brushed aside or ignored, but small things I do concerning my appearance are up for discussion at all times. Our priorities, they are not in order.

However, my experiences would be 100x more enraging if those comments came from men. I mean, it's the same stupid expectations and it technically shouldn't matter who's enforcing them, men or women, but it does. My company employs mostly women, so if I have to smooth my skirt under my butt for a raise at least I'll know it's not because the boss likes staring at my ass. If I have to pour her beer after work, at least I know it's definitely because I'm of lower rank in the company and not because I'm the only woman at the table. It is disturbing to me that the idea that women have to be perfect and feminine in the workplace to get ahead seems to be accepted without much protest by Japanese women. Like they all collectively say, "Shikata ga nai, ne?" and go back to work.

But, again, what do I know? I'm just an uppity gaijin.

*I'll admit men put up with some bullshit expectations, but I think women have to tolerate far more.