05/12/2009: "Taco Bell sells WHAT?!"

jason_hiroshima-52009

What's that? You're greeted not just with an awesome photo of me. Oh no.. but an awesome photo of me in front of the Atomic Dome in Hiroshima! Actually, I need to get around to replacing the opening photo (the one at the top) with this, but I figured until I get around with that, I'd upload it here because.. well.. I can.

Here in Japan, we have week-long holiday (at the beginning of May) called 'Golden Week'. So, seeing as I was off the job and had some free time, I took a day trip out to Hiroshima. After so much time in my (relatively small) city, it was nice to be in a larger place with actual department stores, huge bookstores, and shops with choices. Naturally, since I was in Hiroshima, I had to make a trip down to the 'Atomic Dome' (a building near ground zero of the atomic blast on August 6th, 1945), through the Peace Park, and then went to the Atomic Bomb museum. I wish I could say it was a life-altering experience (as most guidebooks, websites, and conversations with people who've been there have suggested), but it was kinda.. all right. I mean, of course it was a tragedy, but having studied Japanese history as a major in university, it's not the first time I've seen any of this stuff. I've read first-hand accounts of the suffering, I've seen the pictures (ones even more gruesome than in the museum), so.. yeah. The saddest thing I did see was a letter written by a 5th grade girl to her teacher after she was evacuated from the city (prior to the bombing). Reading the hope that a child can still maintain, even in a country ravaged of resources after 6 years of war, is just.. amazing, really.

After that, I decided to lay low for a few days before heading out for 'Friendship Day' at a USMC base near here. Once a year, they open their gates to the Japanese public for an air show, American food, and other stuff. Of course, it sounded interesting to go to an air show (despite having grown up on an Air Force base, I can't remember ever having been to one in my life), but above all else my heart was set on one thing: Taco Bell. Pretty much anything else I could want from America I can find relatively easy here in Japan. But Taco Bell, with their totally unauthentic Mexican food, has been absent from my life. The base, however, had one, and I went in search of their delicious tacos.

I finally track down the Taco Bell (which took some doing) and.. what's this? They're only selling Carne Asada Burritos?!?!? TACO Bell is not selling Tacos? There's some sort of sick irony in there. Right up there with the neighboring BURGER King that was only selling chicken sandwiches. I'm guessing that they wanted to provide something different to the Japanese guests, but still.. that seems so wrong. So ultimately, I had to leave without my delicious tacos. So very, very sad.

Other than that, I've just been getting back into the swing of things here at work. I'll be going in for a driving test next week for a Japanese driver's license, that'll be tons of fun. Also need to go in and extend my visa tomorrow or Thursday. Today I went to the department store to pick up some doughnuts for one of my company classes (no good reason, just felt like it) and ran across two of my students from high school. Since I was already going to buy doughnuts, I told them they could grab one if they wanted to, as one or two more doesn't make much of a difference to me.

The odd thing about it is that the reaction was akin to if I had cured someone of cancer. I mean.. being grateful is good, but it calls to attention an interesting part of Japanese society: Everyone here is amazingly courteous. Customer service is top notch. People will go well out of their way for you. But only if you ask. The idea of a 'random act of kindness' just seems kinda foreign, at least judging by my personal experiences and by the reactions I've gotten when I've done something random.

The second thing is now the children's book "If you give a mouse a cookie.." is coming to mind. I'm wondering how many students are going to hang around that place in the hopes of getting doughnuts. Scaaaary.

Anyway.. that's all I've got for today, and pretty much gets you up to date on my supposedly exciting life.

Before I forget, I made another video the other office I teach at. So, more fun of listening to me talk to myself! Second Office Tour!!!


Jason

On Saturday, May 16th, kat said:

taco bell is yucky anyways ; )
that does seem striking though.