Preparing for my trip to Mt. Fuji

Here is a look into an email that I sent to my friend, Rachel. We are planning our trip to climb Mt. Fuji and I just wanted to shoot her an email about things to bring/buy. It will give you an idea about what kind of hiking we will be doing, etc.

Hey, Rach,

So I was looking at the Mt. Fuji trip guide stuff and I threw together some lists.

Maybe we can work together on getting some of these necessities. I know that I already have some of them (snacks and stuff).

Also, before I start getting into the lists of things that I put together, I have a favor to ask of you. IF YOU SEE AN X-LARGE PONCHO, will you pick it up and I'll pay you back at some point.

Ok, so after reading about Mt. Fuji a little bit, I am getting pretty excited.

So, here are my lists of things:

AN ESTIMATED COST (list of things to buy):

• Bus Tickets - 2600 (one way only - they don't offer round trip tickets) - 5200 total
• 20 '100 Yen' Coins (for the toilet and vending machines - you'll be needing more use of the toilet than I will ;-) the joys of being a boy) - 2000 total
• Air tank(s) (I am thinking that we would be ok with one air tank, since I don't get altitude sickness, but maybe we would need 2?) - 2000 total (this is just a guess - I know one's in the states don't cost much)
• $ for Meals on the Mt. (If we decide to get some hot ramen in the morning, it is going to be about 1000 for a plate) - 1000 total
• Calorie Mates - 500 total
• Water (2 - 1 Liter bottles) - 500
• Batteries - 500
• Ponchos - 500-1000?
• TOTAL - 12,700 (130 bucks is not bad for a round-trip/hike up the mountain)

A TENTATIVE LIST OF THINGS TO PACK:

• Plastic Garbage bags to keep things from getting damp (put over backpacks at night) and to put garbage and damp things in (I've got these covered)
• Small Pack-away umbrella (I'm assuming it would be safe to have this to put over our heads as we cuddle at night to stay warm) (I've got this too)
• Hand Sanitizer (You've got this)
• Deodorant and Spray (I've got it)
• Extra Socks
• Extra Underwear
• Extra Comfortable Shirt
• Ponchos
• Carmex (I've got it)
• Aleve
• 2 1- Liters of Water (I think that we can each carry one) (I'll bring crystal light packets too. - we can each have a smaller plastic bottle of water to carry with us and refill as we hike)
• Snacks - (gummies, Candy Bar, Granola Bars, crackers) (I've got most of these covered)
• Toilet Paper (Probably the most important one one our list) (Can you bring this - just steal one from your house?)
• Camera and Batteries
• Small Towel (the ones that dry really quickly and are extremely lightweight - to wash our faces with)
• Hat and Sunglasses
• iPod and Case to protect it
• Book of Choice
• THINGS TO WEAR at the START:
• Spandex or Underarmour
  
• Shorts under sweats or running pants (easy to tear off if it gets too warm and also adds an extra layer for nighttime)
• Running Shoes and Thick Socks
• Sweatshirt over T-Shirt (Easy to take off and just tie to backpack on the hike)

Am I anal or what?!?!?!

But I am super excited about this!!!!!! SOOOO psyched!

It sounds like it is going to be physically challenging too!!!! I am really excited about that!!!!!!!!!!!

:-)

Love you and talk to you soon,
Seth

Here's a link that I looked into for research. I've also talked a lot with friends who have gone before a few times, but a little reading never hurt anyone:

http://www.picturetokyo.com/travel/fuji.html

Another Yokohama Visit

I took Kari, Amanda, and Lindsay out on a day-trip to Yokohama again. We had a great time walking around and going through China Town. We ended our day on the pier and soaked up a little sun. The sunset was covered in a humid haze, so we weren't able to visit the observatory in Landmark Tower. Regardless, we had a wonderful time! These are just some of my favorite trips from the trip.

Kamakura and Swimming in the Pacific

It has been quite some time since my last update. Today was a very busy day as I had to take my Mid-Term Exam for Japanese Class. I am so glad that it is over. I am not sure what kind of grade I will receive, but I really don't care at this point. It is over. And that is all that matters.

I wanted to put these pictures of Kamakura, the Pacific Ocean, and Kamakura Daibutsi a long time ago, but something was going on with my internet connection and I was unable to upload them. So, without further or do, here are pictures from my day adventure in Kamakura, a wonderfully laid-back town South of Yokohama. I traveled there for the day with Rachel, Mariko, and Kei.

My day trip to Kamakura was, by far, my favorite adventure. It is such a little place. Busy at times, but never uptight, like that of Tokyo, every man and woman dressed in suits. Instead of the standard salaryman suit, wet suits, trunks, and flip flops were substitued. What a wonderful expereince!

I can't wait to go back.

My first experience in the Pacific!

Wedding Facility Pictures

These are some of my favorite pictures from the Happo-En Wedding Facility that my Contemporary Marriage Class visited last week. Enjoy!!!!

"You will never fully understand how I feel until you are the minority." - Anonymous

I have officially decided that I am never going to live in Tokyo or Japan. I will only come back to sight-see, visit old friends, and maybe travel here for the occasional business trip. Otherwise, I want to stay out and stay in America.

Lately, I have been feeling this kind of pressure; this force that I am always pushing back against/fighting with. It is so hard to explain and I know that it probably sounds crazy, but I feel it. And it makes me so angry and frustrated. The pressure that I am feeling is coming from this society that I am in. You see, Japanese society and Japanese people have this belief that you will never understand what it means to be Japanese if you are not Japanese. Not half. Not 3/4. But full-blooded Japanese. So no matter how hard I try to blend in or understand the society, I am shunned. I am belittled in classes when I try to make comparisons or try to understand what the teacher is saying about Japanese culture or history. It is not intentional, I hope, but it is still so frustrating.

On the other side of things, I am an extremely individual person. I have my own sense of style. I wear an anklet. I like to wear flip flops. I wear shorts. I have a side-satchel instead of a backpack. And it is because of all of these things that I am looked at as different. I am the 'other' and the forever foreign looking person. I swear, if one more person looks at me on the train for wearing sandals, I am going to kick my sandals at them. Because I don't look Japanese, I don't fit the norm. I usually just look down at the ground and don't have to see the people staring at me. People expect me to dress like I am Japanese.

It is so contradictory. I am expected to do certain things to be more Japanese but even when I do them, I will never "be able to understand the essence of what it means to be Japanese, since I am a white, foreigner."

So, I will forever wonder, "What is Japanese?"