Saturday, August 04, 2007
Inkan, therefore I am.
A bit of a hangover aside, I feel pretty great this morning. I didn't go up to Hana Town yesterday at all. Rather, Gary came over and the two of us spent the day trying to better establish me as a resident of Japan.
Our first mission was to get me a personal seal, known in Japan as either hanko or inkan. Essentially, Japanese people use these things the same way that Americans use our signatures. If you have a common enough name you can easily pick one up cheaply by purchasing a pre-made seal, kind of like those racks of souvenir license plates or Mickey Mouse ears that have names written on them. Naturally, my name wouldn't be readily available like that so we had to put in a special order. They come in a variety of sizes and with optional decorative cases, but my no-frills black version cost about $30. I was worried that we would have to wait while the order was sent out to a factory somewhere, but the lady in the shop apparently crafted it herself in a couple hours time. I would say the end results are quite impressive, as my name is written in katakana but it still has a certain flair to it.
Whilst my seal was being prepared, we went over to city hall for alien registration. I was impressed at how stress-free the process was, compared to my previous registration during my study abroad. Back then, I had to fill out a pretty long form, taking care not to make any mistakes at all. A single fudged or crossed-out character would have invalidated everything and I would be forced to start over. Here, I only had to write down about half as much stuff, as the guy behind the desk filled in the rest using my passport. He also had no problem with Gary writing down the address of the BOE, which has a couple complicated characters that will take me a while to get used to writing. Usually, Japanese bureaucrats insist on only the applicant filling in the form, even when it comes to checking a box or just writing down the date. Also, we didn't have to take a number and wait our turn, we just sat down at the desk and got started. The only thing I did expect was the time it would take to actually receive the registration card: three weeks. In the meantime, I am required by law to carry my passport at all times which is a drag because I get paranoid about it sometimes and it's bulky too.
I was also surprised to learn that in the basement of city hall there's a little cafeteria that is pleasantly satisfying and particularly inexpensive. Gary and I ate lunch down there for about $5 total. I told him that this was the first time I ever saw a government office that included a place to eat. By all means correct me, dear readers, but back in New York I can't imagine eating lunch at the DMV. I mean, even if they offered it, could you imagine what you would receive?
Once my personal seal was ready, it was off to the bank to open an account. Japanese people don't use checks but I will be paid via direct deposit so this was an essential procedure. It took a very long time, with two forms: one short form to open the account, and then one long one to get a cash card. I'm not exactly sure why the second one was so much longer than the first, but I suspect it had to do with the numerous optional services that come with a cash card these days. I believe mine will act as a debit card, a credit card, and a train pass. Of course, some of these function should be included on my new phone as well, which will normally be easier to pull out and use, so I'll only need to use the card at the ATM. Plus, Mako and I will be setting up the phone this weekend, while the card is expected to arrive in the mail later this month.
Once we had wrapped up all this business, Gary called his co-worker to check on the status of my other suitcase. I should explain: immediately upon arrival in Tokyo I had to ship one of my larger suitcases ahead to Hana Town because, with 2-3 people per room, there was no room for all my luggage at the hotel. Then on Tuesday, I was strongly encouraged to ship my other large suitcase ahead because otherwise I would have to lug it around Tokyo and onto the Shinkansen. Plus, no one could confirm whether or not I was being met in Osaka by someone with a car, so I would potentially have to carry it through two cities via public transportation (don't ask why no one could confirm that fact, it makes my head hurt just thinking about it). So when I arrived in Osaka I had both my carry-on bags but no other luggage, which means that all the clothes I had brought with me were either on my body or being shipped across the country. This contributed somewhat to my anxiety, to say the least.
But that's all behind me now. The first suitcase was already at the BOE when I arrived Wednesday, and yesterday the other one arrived exactly as it had been promised. So Gary's co-worker drove it over to my apartment, we met him, and then the two of them headed back to the office. I thanked them profusely and wished them a great weekend. And with that, I was free to start my own weekend because it was Friday evening and I was screaming to get out there and enjoy Japan the best way I knew how: getting my ass back to Osaka.
I got down to the city with no trouble at all and felt awash in joy as I walked through the Hankyu Umeda station, seeing all the familiar sights and crowds. My first order of business was to find an Internet cafe so I could let everyone back home know that I was still alive. I had planned on bringing these blog entries on a flash drive so I could upload them, but I forgot it. Maybe I'll remember to take them with me when I go out later today - wherever that might be. But I digress; I knew I needed to use the Internet but I didn't have a specific place in mind. Against all odds, while leaving the station I ran into a staff member from Captain Kangaroo, my favorite bar! He recognized me just as quickly as I recognized him, and that was a wonderful feeling. I had worried that most people in Osaka would forget about me after I left, but obviously I was wrong. I told him I would be coming by later once I found an Internet cafe, and he quickly recommended one and told me how to get there. What luck!
One hour and 400 Yen later (not bad!) I was back in Captain Kangaroo for the first time in over a year. Not much had changed inside aside from a new flat screen TV on the wall: the menus were a year older and more worn (as were all the photos and various kitschy things on the wall) the prices hadn't gone up, and the staff, as best as I could remember, were exactly the same bunch of friendly people. The bartender immediately remembered me which was cool. I took advantage of happy hour to order their special "Roo burger" plus a drink for only 1000 Yen, quite a good deal for dinner. I felt a little odd hanging out in the bar by myself, since I was used to coming in for the express purpose of meeting Scott, but I had a few drinks and watched the Tigers on TV and became quite relaxed. Here I was, back in Osaka just like I wanted. Plus, there was always the chance that someone would come in who I knew, which is exactly what happened.
Two JETs showed up, one of whom was a brand new arrival I had met in Tokyo. He came with another, established guy who is working in his town and the three of us hung out for about an hour or so. I felt so great I didn't once complain about any of the problems I've had this first week. I hope that wasn't just because of the beer but because things are simply getting better, or maybe I'm just beginning to realize how good things are. Perhaps an evening of nostalgia was the best and easiest way to remind myself that what I am doing, right now, is exactly what I've been waiting for.
Speaking of waiting, tonight I'm meeting Mako and her family for dinner, which is long overdue. We have a lot to talk about!
Our first mission was to get me a personal seal, known in Japan as either hanko or inkan. Essentially, Japanese people use these things the same way that Americans use our signatures. If you have a common enough name you can easily pick one up cheaply by purchasing a pre-made seal, kind of like those racks of souvenir license plates or Mickey Mouse ears that have names written on them. Naturally, my name wouldn't be readily available like that so we had to put in a special order. They come in a variety of sizes and with optional decorative cases, but my no-frills black version cost about $30. I was worried that we would have to wait while the order was sent out to a factory somewhere, but the lady in the shop apparently crafted it herself in a couple hours time. I would say the end results are quite impressive, as my name is written in katakana but it still has a certain flair to it.
Whilst my seal was being prepared, we went over to city hall for alien registration. I was impressed at how stress-free the process was, compared to my previous registration during my study abroad. Back then, I had to fill out a pretty long form, taking care not to make any mistakes at all. A single fudged or crossed-out character would have invalidated everything and I would be forced to start over. Here, I only had to write down about half as much stuff, as the guy behind the desk filled in the rest using my passport. He also had no problem with Gary writing down the address of the BOE, which has a couple complicated characters that will take me a while to get used to writing. Usually, Japanese bureaucrats insist on only the applicant filling in the form, even when it comes to checking a box or just writing down the date. Also, we didn't have to take a number and wait our turn, we just sat down at the desk and got started. The only thing I did expect was the time it would take to actually receive the registration card: three weeks. In the meantime, I am required by law to carry my passport at all times which is a drag because I get paranoid about it sometimes and it's bulky too.
I was also surprised to learn that in the basement of city hall there's a little cafeteria that is pleasantly satisfying and particularly inexpensive. Gary and I ate lunch down there for about $5 total. I told him that this was the first time I ever saw a government office that included a place to eat. By all means correct me, dear readers, but back in New York I can't imagine eating lunch at the DMV. I mean, even if they offered it, could you imagine what you would receive?
Once my personal seal was ready, it was off to the bank to open an account. Japanese people don't use checks but I will be paid via direct deposit so this was an essential procedure. It took a very long time, with two forms: one short form to open the account, and then one long one to get a cash card. I'm not exactly sure why the second one was so much longer than the first, but I suspect it had to do with the numerous optional services that come with a cash card these days. I believe mine will act as a debit card, a credit card, and a train pass. Of course, some of these function should be included on my new phone as well, which will normally be easier to pull out and use, so I'll only need to use the card at the ATM. Plus, Mako and I will be setting up the phone this weekend, while the card is expected to arrive in the mail later this month.
Once we had wrapped up all this business, Gary called his co-worker to check on the status of my other suitcase. I should explain: immediately upon arrival in Tokyo I had to ship one of my larger suitcases ahead to Hana Town because, with 2-3 people per room, there was no room for all my luggage at the hotel. Then on Tuesday, I was strongly encouraged to ship my other large suitcase ahead because otherwise I would have to lug it around Tokyo and onto the Shinkansen. Plus, no one could confirm whether or not I was being met in Osaka by someone with a car, so I would potentially have to carry it through two cities via public transportation (don't ask why no one could confirm that fact, it makes my head hurt just thinking about it). So when I arrived in Osaka I had both my carry-on bags but no other luggage, which means that all the clothes I had brought with me were either on my body or being shipped across the country. This contributed somewhat to my anxiety, to say the least.
But that's all behind me now. The first suitcase was already at the BOE when I arrived Wednesday, and yesterday the other one arrived exactly as it had been promised. So Gary's co-worker drove it over to my apartment, we met him, and then the two of them headed back to the office. I thanked them profusely and wished them a great weekend. And with that, I was free to start my own weekend because it was Friday evening and I was screaming to get out there and enjoy Japan the best way I knew how: getting my ass back to Osaka.
I got down to the city with no trouble at all and felt awash in joy as I walked through the Hankyu Umeda station, seeing all the familiar sights and crowds. My first order of business was to find an Internet cafe so I could let everyone back home know that I was still alive. I had planned on bringing these blog entries on a flash drive so I could upload them, but I forgot it. Maybe I'll remember to take them with me when I go out later today - wherever that might be. But I digress; I knew I needed to use the Internet but I didn't have a specific place in mind. Against all odds, while leaving the station I ran into a staff member from Captain Kangaroo, my favorite bar! He recognized me just as quickly as I recognized him, and that was a wonderful feeling. I had worried that most people in Osaka would forget about me after I left, but obviously I was wrong. I told him I would be coming by later once I found an Internet cafe, and he quickly recommended one and told me how to get there. What luck!
One hour and 400 Yen later (not bad!) I was back in Captain Kangaroo for the first time in over a year. Not much had changed inside aside from a new flat screen TV on the wall: the menus were a year older and more worn (as were all the photos and various kitschy things on the wall) the prices hadn't gone up, and the staff, as best as I could remember, were exactly the same bunch of friendly people. The bartender immediately remembered me which was cool. I took advantage of happy hour to order their special "Roo burger" plus a drink for only 1000 Yen, quite a good deal for dinner. I felt a little odd hanging out in the bar by myself, since I was used to coming in for the express purpose of meeting Scott, but I had a few drinks and watched the Tigers on TV and became quite relaxed. Here I was, back in Osaka just like I wanted. Plus, there was always the chance that someone would come in who I knew, which is exactly what happened.
Two JETs showed up, one of whom was a brand new arrival I had met in Tokyo. He came with another, established guy who is working in his town and the three of us hung out for about an hour or so. I felt so great I didn't once complain about any of the problems I've had this first week. I hope that wasn't just because of the beer but because things are simply getting better, or maybe I'm just beginning to realize how good things are. Perhaps an evening of nostalgia was the best and easiest way to remind myself that what I am doing, right now, is exactly what I've been waiting for.
Speaking of waiting, tonight I'm meeting Mako and her family for dinner, which is long overdue. We have a lot to talk about!
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