Thursday

4th of July!

Back. Feeling a tad sore today. It's tough to jump back in to football after being off the grind for a while but we're adapting pretty well I think. We started off the day with a pretty early wake up and visit to a local school. The rain was already coming down as we walked toward the train station but in typical Japan rainy season fashion we were as soaked from sweat as we were from the actual rain drops.

The train ride was quick and easy as we journeyed through Osaka to our destination at Teshima elementary school in Toyonaka. We got there around 10:30 and when you walk in your are once again supposed to take your shoes off and put on these little slippers. Let's just say they don't come in size 15.

Ouch.

We got to meet the principal (aka The Boss) and his staff. They introduced themselves and we got to learn a little about them and their school. There was a lot of translating and gesturing going on but it was a really cool experience to see how school works in Japan. They have a very different school year with the beginning in April and end in March. They were very excited to have us there and the kids even more so as we are giants compared to their tiny bodies. After a quick meet and greet where we learned how to write our names in Japanese we headed out to the playground to play different football games and hang out with the kids.

Me and the BOSS

My name in Japanese

Jacob and some of the translators

We went out to the playground and immediately burst into a sweat. I've never experienced weather like this but it made me think of the Robin Williams quip from "Good Morning Vietnam"

"What's the weather like out there? "It's hot. Damn hot! Real hot! Hottest things is my shorts. I could cook things in it. A little crotch pot cooking." Well, can you tell me what it feels like. "Fool, it's hot! I told you again! Were you born on the sun? It's damn hot! I saw - It's so damn hot, I saw little guys, their orange robes burst into flames. It's that hot! "

Maybe not that hot but you get the idea. After a few minutes of playing on the playground, made only of sand basically, we had all sweat large amount of water out and needed water desperately. Luckily they had some for us. We played games with the kids akin to one on one flag pulling and even got a little two vs. five action at the end. The five kids vs. two football players was very cool to watch as they had some pretty complex offensive schemes. I was shocked to see them run the wishbone offense. We finished up after about 40 minutes of play time then came together as a group to say our thank you's and then head to lunch. Before we left the playground the kids gave all of us a gift that included a fan and some origami hanging from it. My fan was quite comical.

Of the incredible plethora of possibilities I got a watermelon lol

After the playground visit we went inside to grab lunch. The school was all hustle and bustle as we headed to the third floor. The school is very clean and you see kids sweeping as the day went on. These customs are very different from America but it was interesting to see how everyone cooperates to keep things clean. Lunch was pretty good actually, soup and chicken, and we sat with the kids in their classroom while they ate and asked us to sign every piece of paper and notebook they could find. We ate lunch for about a half hour then had to pack up and head to practice. The kids were sad to see us go because they just wanted to play all day but it was a great time and we made some friends along the way.

Safe enough I guess

My seat mate in class

By the time we left for practice we were all spent. Kids can take it out of you even without the sun beating you down into the ground with 85 degree fists. The cab ride over to the field was very quiet and sleep filled. It felt a little like camp back at Stanford on a mentally drained level but we had to go on and get ready nonetheless. It was a warm day at practice but there was a nice breeze. It's definitely not easy now that I'm playing running back and we have a fly sweep/option offense. I definitely wasn't ready to do that much sprinting all of a sudden but it's been a blast getting to play something new. 

After practice we had dinner with another Japanese team and this time we went near the hotel once again. The same place where we had the welcome party, the patio behind the hotel near the pool, was where we decided to go. The "beer garden" is what it's called and you can get all you can eat and drink for not very much. It was another awesome time and all the guys we've met here are really cool and try their best to speak english and translate for us. 

Being so tired though took its toll and dinner was shorter than the other two. We turned it in fairly early because there was just no gas left in the tank. We said our good byes and thanked them for a great dinner. We had to get some sleep because the next day was sightseeing in the morning. Can't wait for that. Temples here we come. Till the next time.

Wednesday

That title may be a bit confusing give the context of this trip but given the events of today, all of which I will delve into later on, will surely do the title justice. Today was great and made for a great interlude into the 4th of July.

Tons of people wear crocs in Japan

The day started off pretty normal, breakfast then lunch before practice, and we decided to try out the McDonalds across the street. I heard back home that the menu at McDonald's is way different in foreign places. Turns out that the menu is pretty similar with the exception of a strange shrimp burger and some other small things. The food was good though and it was kinda cool to have something familiar for a change. After the morning we went to practice and it was hot and humid day. Practice was extra humid today probably due to the storm advancing on our location. The practice went by fairly quickly even though it was sunny and hot, but toward the end we could see storm clouds forming in the distance. Before you knew it the sky opened up, and I mean really opened up because the rain was coming down at an angle and I went from dry to drenched in a few seconds. It was like standing in a pool except outside and wearing all your gear. To be honest it was pretty amazing because I'd never seen rain like that and it wasn't cold. The rain here is pretty warm and not at all uncomfortable to be in. That cued the end of practice though and we turned it in.

The calm after the storm

Dinner on this night was with the team from Kansai, the Seahorses. The dinners just keep getting better and better as the week goes on because this dinner was even better than the last night. After practice we went back towards our hotel and luckily the place we were eating at was a block from where we were staying. We walked from the parking lot toward this high rise building and went up to the 22nd floor. This place was gorgeous and even better they had actual seats so no more sitting on the floor with a tiny  table. Things were better already.

Very cool recessed seating and nice ambiance 

 The meal blew me away as did the first one. Again we were able to cook for ourselves, seems to be a common theme here in Japan, as each table had a grill built into the middle and the meat they brought out was to be cooked there. This time there were more vegetables so I didn't feel as bad eating a ton of beef and other kinds of meat.

Me and my table crew

All of the food was amazing and the table conversation was lively as well. It's always entertaining trying to bridge the gap between languages but I'm impressed as to how much english they know compared to how little Japanese we can produce. Luckily Gowan has service on his phone as uses the itranslate app quite often. Nonetheless it was great food and great company as we watched a gorgeous sunset through the windows of the 22nd floor.

Awesome view of Osaka at night

Everyone

We finished up the meal with some pictures and then headed downstairs. During the evening the guys had spoken in broken english about some kind of bus sightseeing thing that we could do after dinner. We weren't sure if they meant that same night or after the game so it was a bit confusing as we departed the hotel.

That when things got weird.

The hotel was literally a block to our right when we left the building but we went left and the confusion only grew from there. We thought we were going to Starbucks at one point then later a bus depot but we got in the cars and drove away with no idea really what was going on. We drove a few miles one direction and thought maybe we were going to the "big bus room" as one of the Japanese players put it but after driving for a little while I started to think that wasn't happening. Then we made a U-turn and came back toward the hotel only to stop in the parking lot of a building that looked like this.

Thought it was like Dave and Buster's

We walked in and we were all apprehensive about where we were and what this building was. I thought it was a huge arcade and I would've been cool with that. We took the escalator past the first floor of games and arcades only to find that we were in a nicer kind of bar setup. We took our shoes off and the next then we know we're in line to by towels at the front desk. Only then did it click that we were at a spa. We got our towels and walked around another corner to find a back area of hot springs and sauna rooms. Surprised doesn't even begin to describe how we all felt considering we had no idea what this place was.

We all had to strip down because apparently that was the status quo as we saw several naked Japanese men just strolling around willy nilly. The hot springs were awesome though. There were hot tubs and cold tubs and a sauna room that had like 100 proof cinnamon incense. That room was like breathing in cinnamon instead of air and it was really hot. We tried all the different tubs and it was very relaxing. It was a nice way to unwind and get some of the soreness from practice out. Overall it was an experience that I'll never forget and made me appreciate how sometimes the language barrier can be terrifying but exhilarating.

At about midnight we headed back to the hotel and thanked that guys for a great evening. The next day was the 4th of July so we were ready to get some rest in preparation for that. The day was long and grueling but very much so

Tuesday

You choose

I'm back! I don't think I've been this tired in a long time. Football plus long days in Japan can really drain you. Plus we're having to adapt to 85 degree days with 70-80% humidity. It's pretty awful at times as we walk slowly to the train station at times and break into a sweat. Even the Japanese players tell us that the rain season is no bueno. Oh well you adapt and move on. Today was the first day of practice at the football facility. It's located on a university campus close to the hotel and has a turf field which is nice. The facility is very basic but that makes sense because they guys were telling us that football in Japan is still growing and the money isn't there yet for grand locker rooms like you see in America. 

Cason modeling the shelf lockers 

We got to the locker room before the Japanese players did and we settled in with all of our stuff while also taking a quick look at the field. It was very hot and humid and thankfully we were in shells (helmets/shorts) for the first two days of practice. When the other players arrived they began getting ready and put tape on their helmets with their name. Another interesting thing is that in every room in Japan you're expected to take your shoes off but I don't think we'll be breaking our home locker room customs any time soon. One problem I've realized while here is that my name doesn't really have a translation in Japanese. Names like Matthew, Jacob, and Cory are a little easier to say and spell using Japanese characters and for the purpose of my helmet I just went with HOOD.

The first day of practice was really fun. We got to do a lot of coaching within our respective position groups. Cory and Cason did an overhaul of the DBs techniques while Matt helped out with the O-Line and blocking. Jacob went down with the D-Line and helped out there along with long snapping and I imparted my knowledge on the receiver core.

The practice went by quickly and before you knew it the day was done (well practice at least) and we headed back to the locker room after a quick debrief from the coaches.

I can dig the single digit

The way this week is set up is that after each practice a different team, the japanese team is comprised of several different Japanese schools, takes us out to dinner. It was a little confusing because we thought we would be going back to the hotel with the driver we came to practice with but we rolled with the punches and we were soon on our way with some of the players from _____ school. We walked from the locker room to the parking lot and saw a pretty amazing skyscape (just made it up). It's the rainy season here but we had been lucky to avoid the rain thus far. The clouds were rolling in and mad for a cool effect in the sky with the colors and brightness combined.

We set off with the players in their cars and arrived at a nice looking restaurant. When you first walk in there are lockers that you are to put your shoes in and they use a simple key system. Each key is a unique block of wood that slides into the locker and I thought that was pretty cool.

Sign outside the restaurant. It was delicious!

When we got to the dining room a mix of emotion including fear and excitement rose within us. The food looked amazing and we were so hungry that we could've eaten the entire menue. If fact we practically did but more on that in a sec. The fear part came from the fact that the tables were about a foot off the ground and we are no where near as flexible as the Japanese players so sitting cross legged was a bit out of the question. We ended up making due with a variety of seated positions as the meal went on and luckily the food was so good it took our minds off the soreness.

Ultimate test of flexibility?

The apprehension continued as we began to cook the first dish. The setup in Japan is really cool in that at the restaurant you are provided with a pot that has two sections and is heated. Each section holds a different sauce that you are to put the slices of meat in. One of the players showed us that while the meat was cooking in the heated sauce, we were supposed to beat an egg in a small bowl. After the meat was done cooking he took a piece of meat from the dish, dipped it in the raw egg, then proceeded to go to town. As you can imagine we were all a bit skeptical at the thought of raw eggs but we all took the leap and it was amazingly good. The sauce itself was enough to warrant a perfect score on Zagat but then the addition of the egg took it to another level. I'm actively pursuing the names of the sauces used so as to find it somewhere in America. After that it seemed as though the whole menu had been prepared for us and a conveyor belt was bringing each item to our table.

Before the first bite

Kasner demonstrates the art of the egg immersion

The food items included meat, pork, tempura, and crab. The waitresses kept bringing out the food and it seemed endless. All of the items tasted fantastic though as each brought its own magnificence.

We pretty much had the entire menu brought to us in some form or another. I didn't think that it was possible to get through so much food and still be hungry at the end but with these small portion sizes it's easy to lose track of how much you've actually eaten. Plus after a long day of walking around and practicing nothing suits you better than a fantastic meal.

It was a great way to end a pretty awesome day. It's been cool getting to see a different culture up close and personal. The guys from the Japanese team are really cool and friendly. Despite the language barrier we still managed to have a good time and make some new facebook friends. The week is just beginning and I'm sure there will be more fun to come. This trip has been eye opening beyond belief and it's only just beginning. Now for some sleep! Been up all day and still have to rest up for tomorrow's practice. Till the next time

P.S

There are no washing machines in the hotel or locker room so it's back to doing laundry the old fashioned way. If only our moms could see us now.

Saturday/wormhole plane trip/magically Sunday

Time to head out! Got to the airport and everything went well for the most part. Got all checked in and got the crew together for a picture. Gowan's mom would not allow us to leave without taking a plethora of pictures.

SFO

Well that was by far the most uncomfortable plane ride I've ever been on thus far. Kudos to United Airlines thought for having pretty good customer service and feeding us three times in the 11 hours in the air. Nonetheless it's nearly impossible for people of our size and shape to stay comfy for that long in the air. The plane was a 747 and had rows of 3-4-3 and it was packed. Most of us sat in the last few rows of the plane so rows 50-59 of 60. I was in row 59 but luckily I had people I knew in my row.

Flying with 600 of your most distant friends

This flight gave me a true appreciation of what one can accomplish in half a day and also how much being in one small seat for so long can drive you crazy. Stir crazy doesn't even begin to describe how we felt from about hour five on. It was quite the predicament because we left at 11:30 AM UST and arrived in Japan at 2:30 their time so we tried not to sleep (didn't succeed) on the plane so as not to be up all night when we arrived. So 1. We're in a small space 2. We can't sleep 3. The in flight movies were in Chinese. I was extremely productive though. I had time to catch parts of three different movies, eat three meals, read two magazines, nap twice, and read about 300 pages of game of thrones. Talk about getting stuff done. All I need to do from now on is fly internationally and my productivity rates will skyrocket. Only problem is that I'd probably lose my mind in the process.

Universal communication

 Despite all of this we arrived in Osaka and set off on our journey. Immediately met the first hitch in the trip with the customs process. We had to fill out two different forms with our entry info but the people in the customs section of the airport had very little english speaking experience. It was basically equivalent to me cloning myself then asking the other me questions in English expecting fluent Japanese responses. Got through it thought and next thing you know we're on a bus to the hotel.

The bus ride took a while, in fact we drove for about an hour and it totally destroyed my notin of how big Osaka was. All we saw on the freeway to the hotel were ports, baseball fields, and industrial districts. We got to the hotel though and it looked really nice. Had some time to snag a few pictures in front of the hotel and despite the language barrier we made it to the rooms.

In front of the hotel

Can you say stipend?

 After getting settled, dreary eyed and stiff from the flight, we set off into the unknown with the Japanese head coach and two Japanese student assistants as guides. We trekked through a local shopping center and took in the local fanfare. The highlight of the afternoon though and helping me check off number five from my Japan bucket list was trying the fried squid. This delicacy was recommended so, when in Rome.

Fried squid. Pretty tasty. Won't be trying again I'm afraid

We ended the day with a dinner at a restaurant we found. We got lost on the way back to the hotel because by then our guides had left to go home. We found some missionaries from the States and talked to them for a bit. One was from Huntington beach but the directions they gave us didn't really help. We eventually found our way back to the hotel to call it a night. An eventful two days it was indeed. We have another day to to explore and I'm looking forward to it.

All Packed!

The title was just a little fun poke at the fact that the flight to Japan is around 11.5 hours. This will be my first venture outside the confines of the US of A and I'm getting pretty excited. I think that this will be a fun trip overall and I'm looking forward to getting a taste of life outside the Stanford bubble. If the views in Japan are anything like what I saw in places like Miami or Hawaii, then I'm in for a treat. I figured I would make a little bucket list of things to do in the next few sure to be action packed days. Hopefully I can fit everything in and I'll be sure to post every experience with a picture to accompany it.

Now about that bucket list:

1. Eat something weird/amazing (COMPLETED)

2. Take in the awesome scenery (COMPLETED)

3. Visit a temple (COMPLETED)

4. Meet some cool people (COMPLETED)

5. Eat at a traditional restaurant (COMPLETED)

6. Visit a shrine (COMPLETED)

7. Go to Mino Park (INCOMPLETE)

8. See the sky garden (INCOMPLETE)

This is just a preliminary list of things I've heard of/know to be cool destinations. Hopefully I get to do all of them but if not I'm sure other things will come up along the way. Flight is at 11AM and I think I'll land at around 2:30PM but with the time difference and the length of the flight, time zones, atmospheric pressure, Coriolis affect who know how long it'll actually take. I'm just sticking with the 11 and a half hours it says on the ticket. I've got a good book and my iPad, I think I'll be alright. Time to make some final preparations then I'm off. See you in Japan!

P.S

They call me "el Wasp Hunter"