The Combini Chronicles

Yesterday I was surprised by the blizzard that engulfed Uchinoura. As I was sitting at my desk staring into the computer, I was alarmed by the gasps coming from the office lady. Suddenly, everyone was off their seat and staring at the window. Feeling a bit left out, I did the same and uttered a hearty “su goi” (meaning awesome or wow). You could hardly see out of the window because of the snow that was blowing about. At times, the wind would stop and snow would just simply fall (like it does in all the Christmas movies). I journeyed to my school by car, it being my first time driving in the snow. From school, I continuously looked out the window to see the snow fall and cap the mountains that surround Uchinoura. Apparently, it only happens about once a year here in Uchinoura, but I can say that I have had my fill.

Yesterday I rehearsed “Let’s Go To Florida” with the Uchinoura Junior High School students. They aren’t amazing, but then again I am only amazing some of the time. Therefore, I think it is quite forgivable, don’t you? In any case, I think it will be somewhat interesting for the Uchinourans to watch on Sunday.

For the following portion, I will relate to you the first (of probably many soon to come) account of the Combini Chronicles. I guess it won’t be so much as a chronicle but more of a descriptive study of the joy and strangeness of Combini Culture. For those of you who don’t know, combini is the Japanese word for convenience store. Yesterday, probably for the second time, I found myself leaving my car running as I went inside to get my morning coffee and pastry. Here, EVERYONE leaves their car on (with no one inside) as they go into the convenience store (or grocery store). It usually takes more than 5 minutes, so I really don’t understand why they don’t just turn it off. And, when I said I got my morning coffee, it is not what you think. It is a small 6 oz. can of sweetened and “milked” coffee that is usually kept in something that looks like a cooler but is really a heating device. So, these (metal) cans of coffee work as good makeshift hand warmers for the minute before you drink it – enough for you to get blood running through your finger tips again. There are over 20 brands or kinds of coffee – THEY ALL TASTE THE SAME. On occasion, I get the Georgia or Harvest coffee. If ever I feel the need to be more manly, I drink the “Men’s” coffee. As a side note, there are tons of things that are labeled “Men’s” because it seems that Japanese men are not allowed to like anything that is slightly sweet or tastes good.

Well, I gotta go. I have to write an article for a PTA newsletter that the parents should be getting before the end of the school year (March?).