Hello friends, Dogentricks.com here.

How are you. Thanks for reading. Today, I came to Starbucks in downtown Oita in hopes of getting some revisions of my short story done, but unfortunately discovered I suck at writing today.

So, let’s spend some time writing about random things such as my great life. First off, answers to questions that I’ve been receiving through e-mails and such for the past few weeks.

Yes, it is a brand new, Kawasaki Ninja 250 R. The bike, license place registration, boots, jacket, gloves, helmet, bike cover, primary insurance, secondary insurance, and tax all together came out to $6,000 (which includes a $300 dollar discount from the dealership, nice). All in all I’d say it was a pretty good deal. Unforunately I now have no money and will be eating nothing but tuna and spaghetti for the next two months.

In terms of registration, an inkan (basically a formal little stamp with my name written in Japanese), a copy of my alien registration form (not the card), and $6,000 cash was required. The dealer said I’d probably get turned down for a loan because I just came to Japan and because I’m a foreigner. Yay discrimination! They did not check to see if I have a motorcycle license or an international drivers permit. This was my experience with buying a motorcycle in Japan.

Now, let’s see what you need to have as a foreigner in order to legally drive in Japan. To drive anything, you’re going to need to have a license of some sort. For example, in order to drive a car, you’re going to need to have a car license from your own country. Thus, in order to drive a motorcycle in Japan, you’re going to need a motorcycle license from your own country. On top of that, you’ll need to have either an international drivers permit or an International drivers license. An international license is basically a card that you can use almost anywhere for an extended period of time. It takes a considerable amount of time to acquire one, and from what I understand, special lessons from the DMV. A international permit, on the other hand, is a one year free pass that you can use basically anywhere, regardless if you’ve never drove in a foreign country. You buy them at AAA centers for about fifteen bucks. I have a standard license as well as a motorcycle license, so when I received my international drivers permit, they stamped the car and motorcycle sections. This means that I can drive a motorcycle or car in Japan, without restrictions, for one year. Once that year runs up, I am SOL(OL). This means that during the next 330 days, I need to acquire a standard Japanese car and motorcycle license by passing the ridiculous Japanese driving test. Once I have those in my possession, I can drive around Japan at my leisure.

In order to drive on the highway in Japan, you have to pay—and it’s quite expensive. That is, if you don’t have an ETC card. ETC cards are essentially frequent driver passes that come in the form of Japanese credit cards. Unfortunately, when you reach the toll gate, you don’t give the person working their your card, but need to have an approximately two hundred dollar device set up in your car or motorcycle to relay the information automatically to the gate. If you have all the right things (ETC card, ETC machine, money in your bank account), you can ride all day for about 10 bucks…only on weekends. Gas is much more expensive than in America, but having a motorcycle that gets 60 miles a gallon helps quite a bit. In addition to the motorcycle, I bought my predecessors mini car for 200 dollars, which is a riot. lol. It’s basically a mini cooper without any horsepower…at all. Imagine a smart car, only not smart. Right, a super plain, tiny, lifeless car.

Both cars and motorcycles require two forms of insurance. Combined, my insurance came to a grand total of about 600 dollars a year, which I think is quite reasonable.

On days when it’s not pouring, I ride the motorcycle to save money. Right, that’s a lie–I ride the motorcycle becauseiTSAWESOME!!! I’ve put about 1000 kilometers on it so far and had the standard 1K oil change. It runs absolutely fantastic and I have to say its pretty damn fun to ride a shiny black motorcycle around the city. My good friend, Yuuto, who lives about an hour from my house, also rides and owns the white Kawasaki Zephyr seen in the pictures below. We’ve had a few riding sessions so far, including through a volcano range and the flashing night city. I promise it’s every bit as fun as it sounds.

Of course, the most fun is when someone pulls up next to me and gives the thumbs up at the new bike. I open the mirrored visor to reveal my identity and typically scare the bejesus out of everyone at the intersection. There’s few enough foreigners out here to make a scene, and next to none that ride motorcycles around the city. ROFL@THAT.

I apologize for the extremely poor structure and word choice in this post—I wrote it while hyped up on starbucks and under the curious eyes of about seven Japanese people.

Train hard.

Hello friends, Dogentricks.com here. Enjoy some pictures of my life! By the way, these were all taken on my cell phone camera. Try opening the pictures in a new window to check out the quality (they have all ben scaled down by half btw, lulz). Also, Ive been meaning to make some bigger posts, but still dont have internet access with my own computer–you cant imagine how much time it took me to get this post up on a 5 year old Japanese computer. Things should smooth out in a few weeks. Thanks!

いよいよ新生活に慣れてきた。ところが、頭の整理がまだ出来なくて、それを解決するために、自分が考えていることや、夢で見ていることなど色々書こうと思ってる。

その前に、素晴らしいことを一つ書かせてください。

昨日、なんと新車のバイクを手に入れたんだ。あまり言ってないから友達でさえ知らないかもしれないけど、実はずっと前からバイクが欲しかったんだ。１３歳の時、学校から帰ってきて、ネットでカワサキニンジャの写真を３時間ほど見てたことをはっきり思い出せる。しかし、今までの自分がトリッキングに夢中になったし、大金儲かる方法もなかったし、学生時代バイクは絶対だめだと親に何回も言われてきた。どんなに欲しいと思っても、中学校を卒業しても、高校を卒業しても、全く違う国に行っちゃって新生活に慣れても、バイクの免許を取っても、バイクを手に入れるのを想像でも出来なかった。それに、欲しいと思えば思うほど、バイク買う可能性が全くなくてきつかったから、出来るだけバイクのことを考えないようにしてきた。早く近づいてくるバイクを避けたと言えるでしょう。

ところが、三ヶ月前に大学を卒業して、ついに一人前になった。お金もう１セントも絶対あげないからねって感じだ。卒業書類が渡された瞬間に、「これがバイクになる！すげー！」と思った。興奮しちゃったんだ。それから、自分が今まで少しずつ溜めてきたお金や、誕生日プレゼントのお金や、クリスマスと卒業お祝いとのお金など全部一気に使って、新しいカワサキの黒いニンジャ２５０Rを買っちゃった。あまりにも待たされたから信じられないけど、銀行預金残高を調べたら全然信じられます。

バイク自体、ヘルメット、鏡バイザー、コート、手袋、ブーツ、バイクカバー、自賠責保険、委任保険、ライセンスプレート登録代、税金、全部で、ジャックバワーを四つに割った十万にしました。といわけで、給料日までバナナとツナだけの生活を続けます。９月になったらプロティンも飲もうかと考えている。

バイク以外にもなかなか楽しいけど、最近自分が成長してる感じがしないから不安だ。新しい知らないところ、しかも豊後大野に住んでいるから、外に出て友達を作って、遊ぶ必要もあると思うんだけど、最近やりたいことがやれなくてきつい。僕はこのジェットプログラムという英語教師の仕事を二、三年間やりたいと思っている。何故かというと、給料もいいし、生活をするのに安いし、結構時間があるからだ。そんなことが本当なら、儲かれるし、やりたいことを簡単にやれるだろう。

それから、二、三年間経ったらジェットを辞めて、作家になりたい。二年間前に留学をしてる間に自分のことについて色々気づいたけど、作家になるべきだということが一番大切だと思う。別に有名になりたいという訳でもないし、作家はかっこいいからなりたいなぁという訳でもない。実は、大学の二年生の時まで読むのが嫌いだった。中学校と高校との時も、小説一冊も読まなかったんだ。ただ、留学してる時に、ごめんみんなこういうからださく聞こえるかもしれないけど、お金を溜めることより人を感動させることが大事だということをはっきり分かったんだ。それは、大好きな秋茜の歌手と話して、自分のブログを見てくれる人のメールを読んで分かったことなんだ。

僕は書くことが、特に日本語で書くのが得意訳ではない。だが、人を感動させる言葉を書けるようになれると信じている。ただ、最近それを信じているだけじゃないかと気づいて不安だ。３年間後、言葉で自分と好きな人を支えたかったら、練習が非常に必要だ。友達と遊ぶ必要もあるけど、ぼーとして、テレビを見る必要は別にない。だからこれからは一生懸命英語と日本語を勉強していこうと思ってます。特に日本語が苦手なんで、間違いある時に是非コメントしてください。しないと僕の夢が叶わないからさ。

そんじゃ、今日は久しぶりに晴れているからバイクに乗ってくる。

Hello friends, Dogentricks.com here.

The past week has been beyond hectic between moving to Japan, job training in Tokyo, and setting up my new apartment. But, I’ve finally settled down and am ready to give the heads up.

I arrived in Kyushu last Wednesday, and have been having a blast ever since then. Bungo Ono resembles a Grand Canyon blanketed with trees and very sparsely sprinkled with outdated buildings. It is a green, mountainous country one hour in any direction from modern metropolitan life, and it’s unlike anywhere I’ve ever been before. The sheer amount of nature is nearly overwhelming—and that’s quite a bit to say from a person raised in the Emerald City.

On the other hand, I can’t believe how many bugs are here. I’ve killed three cockroaches in my apartment, all of which were large enough to star in an Indian Jones movie. Furthermore, my bathroom is out the door, down the stairs, and around the corner, which means any showers at night result it me being practically mummified in spider webs. Moreover, there are apparently slugs that crawl into your brain at night and take over your body. Fortunately there is a special group of people that can transform into animals, such as falcons, and they do a fairly good job of protecting the citizens. I’ve got a Japanese style apartment complete with sliding doors, ten tatami mats, and a toilet that doesn’t flush, but rather drips water. It’s generally a pretty nice place, but I constantly live in fear of the slugs.

That aside, as many of you know, I received my motorcycle license well before coming to Japan and now hold an international drivers permit for both two and four wheeled vehicles (no offense to the trike riders). The English teachers that had being living here before me said the streets were probably good for riding, but then again none of them have bikes so it was probably impossible for them to appreciate the sheer perfection of the windy mountain roads.

Take Beppu, the hot springs littered city an hour from my house, for example. There are essentially three sections to the city: ocean, town, mountains. Which means that if I’m driving through the city, there are enormous mountains to my left, and a beautiful ocean to my right. Now, I don’t own a motorcycle yet, but I do have a friend that does, and he took me for a ride the other day, and LETMETELLYOUITWASAMAZING. Instead of trying to explain how great the roads are here, I’ll leave you with two word, and a video.

Initial D.

Literally, just like that. I’ll be applying for a loan to buy a new, black, Kawasaki Ninja 250 R this Saturday, which also happens to be my birthday. If things go well I will be taking to the mountains with a camera and making the first of a new breed of samplers. Hope you guys enjoy.

Train hard.

Hello friends, Dogentricks.com here.

This is the last blog entry I will ever write in the United States of America.

Today, on my way back from the embassy, I swung by my apartment and watched some TV with friends. We sat together on our green leather couch and watched 3 second season episodes of ‘Coupling,’ the same way we did in high school five years ago. We laughed at the same jokes—nearly doubling over at captain subtext. But today, when I stood up from the couch, instead of retreating to my room and throwing a ‘g’night guys’ over my right shoulder, I slowly tied my shoes and walked towards the door. I turned to face my friends, and told them goodbye. “I’m moving to Japan tomorrow; thanks for the times we’ve had.” This is what I said to my best friend Rob, a guy I went to elementary school, middle school, high school, and college with. His house was never more than a few minutes bike ride, and this year, his room never more than a few steps walk. “Thanks for the times we’ve had,” is what I said to him, because I knew if I said, “I’m going to miss you to death—you’ve been the best friend I could ever imagine, and helped me through so much,” that I would have undoubtedly started to cry.

The same events will unfold tomorrow morning when I say goodbye to my parents at Sea-Tac International Airport. I’ll look at both of them, give them both hugs, and say to them, “I’ll talk to you soon. Love you too. Bye.” I’ll say it in the same way I have for 14 years when I woke up and went to school. The only difference this time is that I am moving to Japan, alone.

My friends aren’t moving to Japan, and neither is my family. It hit me hard today on the drive home—I pulled into the parking lot of my elementary school and listened to Supercar’s Karma, trying to wrap myself around the reality of tomorrow. At 2:15 PM I will leave everything I know, all of my friends, and all of my family. Although I love Seattle and its people to death, I was born to do this, and it wouldn’t be right for me to stay. I was meant to go to Japan, to become a teacher and a writer, and to inspire others to study language the same way I did 8 years ago. This is my path and something I’ve known I must do for the past decade.

This is not my dream coming true; this is fate.

Tomorrow will be the most significant day of my life. Thank you for your support.

Train hard.

彼女が自分の留学について書いた日記です。

終了：

10ヶ月間の留学がとうとう終わろうとしている。

あっという間だったけど、長かった。 　

留学をしようと決めた理由、私は外国大学に入学し、ペラペラに喋っている人を見て、自分の英語力に自信をなくした。“外大生は喋れてなんぼ”の社会で、このままでは私は通用しないと焦りを感じたからだ。だから、何より会話力の向上を目的に留学に臨んだ。

　
最初の秋学期、留学すれば喋れるという概念を覆す現実を目の当たりにする。留学開始前、この留学で日本人、日本語と関わらない、と意気込んでいたが、現実はそんな簡単にできるものではなかった。クラスは、基本アジア人のみ。嫌でも1日1度は日本人と出くわす＝日本語。家に帰り、１人になった時、後悔と大金を出してくれている親に申し訳ない気持ちでいっぱいになる。そして、10ヵ月で流暢に喋れるようになるなんて不可能と諦めの気持ちが増していった。毎日日本人と会い、日本語を使った。楽しかった。そのおかげで視野が広がり、人生の参考になったと思う。しかし、やはり後悔、後悔、、と毎日憂鬱でストレスフルな生活を送っていた。早く留学が終わってほしいと思った。旅行で空港に行く度、このまま日本に帰りたいと思った。
　
　
しかし、ある人との出会いをきっかけに私の生活がぐるりと大きく変わった。彼は、当時UWの4年生で日本語を専攻している。それに、1年間留学経験があり、私の事をよく理解してくれる人だ。3か月経っても日本語なまりの英語を使っていた私を大きく成長させてくれた。

だが私にとって第2学期、冬学期は、精神的に過酷だったと思う。20歳の人間が10ヵ月で喋れるようになるのは決して簡単でない。でも残りの６ヵ月、成せば成るという言葉を信じてできるだけの事をしようと腹をくくった。日本語、日本人、アジア人を避けた。身の回りの物、すべて英語に変えた。iPodの音楽も。mixiも。日本の友達も。日本語で喋りかけてくれる友達にも英語で返した。それは想像以上にしんどかった。毎回、気まずさや不思議がられるのは避けられない。だから時に、自分のやり方は正しいのか、会話力よりTOEICなどの試験勉強をした方が利口ではないかなど自信をなくし、不安になったこともあった。でも、そこでいつも私の背中を正してくれたのは彼だった。自分に負けている私を本気で叱ってくれた。そのおかげで自分の意思を貫くことができ、一番苦しかった時期を乗り越え、大きく成長できた。
　

最後の学期、春学期。とても速かった。この学期は語学＋α、英語以外にも力を入れた。私のα、授業を語学からビジネスに変え、基本的なビジネスを学んだ。専攻が英語なだけに、ビジネスについて０の知識からいろんなことを吸収した。そこで将来やりたいことが見えてきたと思う。また、アメリカ、シアトルの学生生活を満喫した。

　
今、この留学が終わり、達成感をすごく感じる。そして、胸を張って英語が話せると言えるようになったと思う。また、人1倍努力した分、人1倍いい経験をしたと思う。そこにいつも応援してくれた友達がいたからだと思う。
　
　
留学中、シアトルだけでなく、ラスベガス、ネバダ州、ニューヨーク、ポートランド、サンフランシスコ、フロリダ、ロサンゼルスといろんな旅ができた。そこでいろんな人に出会い、自信を持たせてくれたし、また日本の友達からの応援も大きな励みになった。人にはほんと恵まれている気がする。
　

帰国前、帰国後、外見もメンタル的な変化と共に、将来の目標も変わった。これからは、自分は何がしたいのか、ちゃんと整理して見つけ出さないといけない時期だと思う。それにもっと自立した人間になろうと思う。

とにかく、今日は自分に乾杯したい！

そして湯船につかりたい！

Hello friends, Dogentricks.com here.

DK from the forums drove all the way up to Seattle, AGAIN, to trick with me one last time. He also brought an HD camcorder, so I made a little sampler with the footage (unfortunately we didn’t get much of DK!) Thanks again man, have a great time at Loopkicks!!

Hello friends, Dogentricks.com here. My two favorite video game series are Final Fantasy and Dead or Alive, so I pretty much died when I watched these. Absolutely stunning.

Hello friends.

This is Quad Tricks X—my last sampler in the U.S., and most likely my last real sampler for a long, long time. Thanks to everyone who has supported me these past several years.

Hello friends, Dogentricks.com here.

I graduated from college. I graduated from the University of Washington with a 3.68 G.P.A. and now hold a bachelors degree in Japanese linguistics, which makes me a little bit sad because it gives me no more excuses for not being great at Japanese.

Until now, I’ve been able to get away with looking like I was better at Japanese than the time I put into it. When someone asked, “How long have you been studying?” I could say, “1 year at college, 1 year in Japan, and some time by myself,” and their jaws would typically hit the floor. The only thing I can say now is that I majored in Japanese, essentially raising the expectation bar to fluency one sentence into conversation.

But, I’m thrilled to be done with college and extremely proud of the work I have done. Four years ago I couldn’t have imagined the amount of knowledge and ability I acquired through study. My Japanese, more than anything else, has improved to a level I am extremely happy with. Besides that, my writing skill in both English and Japanese, has sky-rocketed. My ability to communicate as a whole is in an entirely different league than what it used to be. I’m happy to be the person I have become.

In other news, I’m leaving for Japan in four weeks–excellent. Before that I’ll be getting a motorcycle license and saving up some money so I can get a new Kawasaki Ninja 250 R. Just finished JET basic training.

FINALLY and most importantly I had a fantastic tricking gathering the other day and will be putting up a new sampler soon. Thanks to everyone that came out, I had a blast with you all once again. Tricking in the rain for and hour and the sun for two was ridiculous–I’ve never been so sore.

or so happy.

NICE.