Don't lick the tuna

I was directed to a recent article where tourists in Japan are ordered not to lick the tuna. Earlier this year the tuna auction portion of the Tokyo city fish market was closed to foreigners due to bad behavior. While the bad behavior mentioned in the article, like flash photography and general thoughtlessness, is attributed entirely to foreigners, I have it on authority that it's just as likely that the culprits were Japanese too.

Skype FTW?

One of the hurdles of being gone for three months is staying in touch with the folks at home.  I've already mentioned Google Talk as being the perfect tool for social communication, but when it comes to business concerns I figured having a no-install-required means of synchronous communication was the way to go.  What better way to handle that little task than the phone?

I love my iPhone, and AT&T is certainly eager to help you use their international network while traveling.  Unfortunately this eagerness comes from the fact that AT&T will utterly ream you for the 'privilege' of using your existing phone abroad.  (The iPhone will still be coming along, but only for weezing wifi)  After a bit of research, I settled on Skype.  For about $20, I was able to set up a local Detroit phone number which will ring my computer, and from which calls made on my computer appear to be made from.  That's three months of unlimited calls to the US and Canada for about $20.  (Ever get the impression the wireless carriers are overcharging just a bit?)  I'll be able to get in touch with anyone not sporting a camera on their computer with a simple phone call!

That is, of course, if it works acceptably in Japan.  I've asked A to help me test this week, so I'll know in advance.  If it works, I'm set on the communication front!  If it fails, I'm out $20 and will be pranking people from a number that will go dead in three months.  Either way, I'm counting this VoIP experiment as a win. 

Proud to be an American...

... where at least I know I can get back into the country if the Department of Homeland Security is in a good mood.

Last week I got an email from Orbitz (the folks I purchased my NWA plane ticket through) which stated the following:

Subject:Important information regarding your trip to the United States
"... We wanted to make you aware that all international visitors planning to the United States from Visa Waiver Program countries are required by law to apply for travel authorization. ..."

Sorry, what was that again? It's a good thing Orbitz sent me this email, as I happened to be planning to the United States. Still confused? So am I. "Planning to _______ the United States" is the problem here - we're missing the word the entire sentence hinges on. Visit? Depart? Later in the email was a link to a DHS site. Apparently we require all foreigners to register themselves online prior to arrival here, so I determined the email was not only impossible to understand, it was inapplicable.

The second interesting thing in that email is the Visa Waiver Program... That specifically relates to the US government's handling of visitors, not the overall agreement between developed nations that allows travellers to show up unannounced and stay for ninety days without prior approval.  (which is exactly what I plan to be doing in Japan)  What I find curious is if the US requires foreigners to register themselves on a website prior to arrival, aren't we effectively making them apply for a visa?  Sure, it's a simpler, less demanding process, but visa-lite is still a visa, so it isn't exactly waived.  Maybe it's time to change the name and be up front about things - Express Visa Program anyone?

Noise Canceling Headphones

A while ago (with this trip in the back of my mind) I invested in a pair of noise canceling headphones that I've been using at the office. I was initially skeptical of the technology's effectiveness, but I've been nothing but satisfied with their performance.

The model that I decided to go with is the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7. They seem to generally be reviewed at the same level as the Bose models, but with a significantly lower price tag. Whether it's drowning out the noisiness of travel, or concealing the distractions of the office, they perform admirably.

A word of caution that I suspect is a potential hazard in all noise canceling headphones: remember to equalize the pressure in your ears while on a plane. The first time I flew with these headphones I put them on shortly after takeoff and comfortably fell asleep during our ascent. My initial comfort had turned into a headache later in the flight when I woke up - the headphones had actually allowed me to be TOO comfortable; I was sleeping soundly and doing nothing for any equalizing of pressure in my head.

If you travel semi-frequently or listen to music at work, I'd recommend these as the top choice. I know their comfort and sound quality will be appreciated on the nearly fourteen hour flight!

Omiyagi

One of my coworkers mentioned earlier this week that I'd have to bring back small, cool Japanese gifts for people on our team. Something clicked in my head - Ding! I know about that practice! The Japanese term for small gifts from traveling is 'omiyagi'. They seem to be primarily sweets, and are given to let the people you left behind know you were thinking about them.

I've heard that the pressure to pick up omiyagi leads some Japanese to keep their vacation travel under wraps; non-travelers can't expect a gift if they don't know you're gone! I feel like my time out of the office is going to be a little conspicuous, so I'll be doubly indebted in the omiyagi department. It'll have to be awesome, something combining chocolate and robots perhaps?

Three Weeks

Only three weeks stand between me and imminent departure. Of those three weekends, I plan on visiting the parents for one, which leaves me with only two weekends remaining in Detroit. With time for errands winding down, I'm in the 'getting stuff together' phase of the trip prep. This past weekend I picked up a timer for lights in my house along with various drugstore supplies, for example. There are countless little things like that needing to be taken care of before I leave, and if I procrastinate I'll be making things very hard on myself.

One way or another I know everything will get done... it's just that I'd like to have things sorted (in the English slang sense - I've been watching Dr. Who) so when the time comes I can be excited and enjoy myself, avoiding all the stress and anxiety of rushing to get my act together right at the end.

Bed time for me - being caught up on my sleep is also on my agenda. I'll need to be rested to help adjust to the time shift smoothly, otherwise I'll become some kind of horrible sleepwalking zombie!

Mercury Poisoning?

My mother approached me with a news story she'd recently read regarding a rather high profile case of mercury poisoning - she was concerned that my diet in Japan, primarily consisting of seafood, would put me at a similar risk. My initial reaction was 'No, I don't plan to eat fatty fish at every meal', but apparently it's a more widespread problem than I was aware of.

Variety is the spice of life, as they say, and if you eat too much of the same thing it's bound to catch up with you sooner or later. As a sidenote, I suspect this 'choice of foods' topic will be revisited in the next few months, as A, M, and L all happen to be vegetarians. (or pescetarian, as the case may be) There are certain things I'm a little squeamish about trying, but provided it's actual food (not Fear Factor pickled livestock testicles type stuff) and not going to make me pathologically sick (raw foods with questionable storage quality), I'll try anything once! I'm curious to see just how often my culinary courage will be tested.

Televised Entertainment

I'm steeling myself for the loss of all my favorite streaming media while in Japan - Hulu, Netflix, and Pandora only have license agreements for the US, and as such their content is unavailable to IP addresses outside the country. (Yes, there are ways around that, and No, I don't care enough to work through them. Bear with me while I get to the point.)

In place of these sorts of distractions, A, M, and L have several seasons of the HBO show The Wire on DVD. They've been watching them weekly, so in order to be part of the fun when I arrive I've been getting the disks from Netflix in order to catch up. I've closed the gap, watching two seasons in the last few months, and am currently only three or so episodes behind. It's a top-notch show, and I'm looking forward to really getting into season three next month, but I'm not used to having to wait to see what happens! I guess this will force me to learn a little patience when it comes to television drama.

A Change in the Weather

Reason #438 I'm excited about heading to Japan is skipping some of the worst of the Michigan winter. Today was absurdly cold, that kind of bitter, cutting cold that scratches at your jacket and creeps up your sleeves and down your collar. Even walking from a car to a building entrance was a harrowing experience. I couldn't feel my face walking into the office this morning!

Compare that to the weather in Nagoya today: It's currently a balmy 45 °F. While they still get some snow and below-freezing weather, it's nowhere near the 'My car is stalling it's so cold' weather Detroit will be seeing more of this season.

New Kicks

I've been planning on picking up a new pair of shoes prior to going to Japan. Requirements include being comfortable for extended walking, easy to put on and take off (since that will be happening frequently even while out and about), and decently stylish. It's a tricky order, since the 'ease of putting on and taking off' requirement usually means a slip on shoe, and that interferes with the 'extended comfort' requirement.

I may have found a candidate... the Teva Ryley. Since they're made by Teva, I trust their comfort as well as their durability, and the strap closure system will be quick to fasten/unfasten, but won't wear out over time the way elastic or velcro would. The strappy setup even manages to put a check in the 'stylish' column in my opinion.

The price is a bit higher than I'd like, but considering finding them in my size is an impossibility otherwise, I guess I have to take what I can get. I think I'll put in my order before the weekend so I'll have them next week!

Time Zones

Compared to Detroit, Nagoya is either thirteen or fourteen hours ahead, depending on whether Daylight Savings Time is being observed in the US.  This point has been particularly important to consider, since synchonous communication can really only happen at the beginning or end of the day.  I've been communicating overseas for nearly six months now, and I'm still not used to the premise of saying 'Have a good day!' when I'm headed to bed.

In my past travels the only consideration I had of time zones was resetting my watch while I was on the plane so it was correct when we landed.  There was never anything so pressing that it couldn't wait do be dealt with until I returned home.  This time around, I worry that circumstance is unavoidable - I'm almost certain something will come up that needs my immediate attention in a three month span of time.  While having a few pressing events pop up is likely, I'm working hard now to keep me being up during Detroit working hours (in the middle of the night) to the absolute minimum!

Google Talk

For those of you who aren't already using Gmail, Google Talk is a great reason to start. Basically every time you open your web mail, you can be signed into the AOL and Google chat networks as well. With a recent update, if you have a web cam or microphone attached you can make computer to computer calls too! Compared to other applications that enable video chatting like MSN Messenger and Skype, it doesn't require a large or complex program installation - everything happens inside your browser with the help of a small plugin similar to Flash. The quality is also noticeably higher, with the video being more tolerant of slower connection speeds.

If you think all this video communication sounds a little gimmicky, that's because it is. I couldn't see getting very excited about video chatting when a phone call is so much more readily available. That is, of course, until you or someone you keep in contact with frequently is out of the easy reach of the telephone... Japan for example? The program has allowed my girlfriend and I to stay in touch quite well over the past few months, and I anticipate it will continue to do the same when I am on the other end.

If you're interested in giving it a try, you can get a Gmail account and download the plugin at: http://www.google.com/talk/

Making Lists

In my previous job I was traveling all the time. It got to the point where I could throw my gear together the night before a trip and be gone for a week or two with no problems. Being gone for three months is a whole new animal though... having to worry about paying bills, stopping mail, packing for two seasons, it's a little overwhelming!

That's where lists come in. While I have begun some modest packing efforts, the bulk of my work is happening right now on paper. Things to buy, things to do, things to find - I could virtually guarantee I'll forget something if it doesn't appear on a list. List making is also rather fun, when it comes down to it. While it's still a bit more than a month away, lists mean I'm constantly reminding myself about the trip, and it's hard not to get excited about it.

As proof that the lists work, one of my to-do items happened to be firing up this blog. Mission accomplished!