A Southern Expatriate: Puppies are even cuter in Japan!

American breakfast, featuring Riza's Mom

Baby Riza

I woke up this morning, and Riza's mom had made me a big ole American breakfast with bacon, eggs, and all the good stuff. While I was eating, I looked over to my right and saw a picture of baby Riza booking it in a little polka dot skirt and sunglasses, so of course I had to upload it. After that we went to the Tsukashin Mall in Amagasaki, which is right next to Itami. While we were in there I got to spend some of my Yen for the first time in a dollar store called Daiso. They had so much candy, I could barely contain myself. I ended up getting these soda candies that fizz in your mouth, sour peach and grape gummies, and Kinako Mochi chocolate, which is grounded soy beans mixed with chocolate, covering mochi. What I loved the most about spending my money was when I got my change. I love the coins that have the holes in them, I also love how when you pay, you put your money in a little bucket, you don't hand it to them. I guess you could hand it to them, but honestly, I am scared that I am already doing all these little things that are offensive to the Japanese culture that I have no idea about, so I'm just gonna play it safe and put the money in the bucket. They had a whole aisle in the store that was dedicated to the masks they wear to not get sick. There were a lot of stylish options for men and women, I was thoroughly impressed, I might have to buy a couple just to fit in. We then stumbled into a pet store, and while I was walking around looking at all the fish and birds, I saw a huge goat just chillin. Of course I think it is a petting zoo, so I go up and pet it, but apparently all the signs were saying not to, but I don't speak Japanese so whoops, I did it anyway. You put a goat in a cage and I'm gonna pet it. Then I went down stairs, and I was in heaven, there were puppies everywhere. I don't know why, but puppies in Japan are somehow even cuter than they are in America. I found a tri-colored Jack Jack puppy that I was two seconds away from buying. I am not sure which was cuter, the puppies, or the asian baby trying to pet the puppies through the glass. After the puppies, we went to MOS burger, which is a quality Japanese fast food chain. I got this teriyaki burger that was so good! While I was enjoying my MOS burger, I looked up and saw this little Asian kid who was more fashion forward than I will ever be. Then I started to realize that all the kids are like that. I find my self looking at them and being like, "Wow, I want to be them when I grow up." But sadly, I know I never will be.......

All the bikes outside the mall

Teach me your ways, Sensei!

MOS Burger!

In Japan they take their biking very seriously, it seems like everyone is riding a bike. If you look out at the parking lot, the bike to car ratio is clearly in favor of the bikes. But when I was looking at the cars that were parked in the parking lot, I realized that they had all backed into their parking spot. Every single car was like that, not one was parked with the front of the car facing in. After I got over the shock that they all backed up into their parking spots, which we all can agree, is a pain in the butt, we went inside. Riza needed a new umbrella, so we stopped at all of these umbrella stands and one had one that had a cover with a penguin on it, and it said, "Have a nice day penguin duck." Which probably makes perfect sense, but I have no idea what a penguin duck is. I know what they are individually, but combined, the possibilities are endless. Then we went to the Cup Noodles museum. While we were there we got to make our own Cup Noodles and we got to decorate the cup; of course I had to decorate it with some Auburn decorations. I am sure they were all looking at my decorations like I was crazy. It seems like every Japanese person can draw really well, because every person around me pretty much had a Picasso drawn on their cup; I was felling very inadequate. You got to put four ingredients in your noodles and there was this weird one that had ducks on it so I had to put that in my

noodles. I asked Riza what it was, and eventually found out it was naruto. It is a type of fish that is cured and combined with additives. So pretty much really processed seafood....yummy.

I had to take a little bathroom break after I packed and sealed my Cup Noodles, and when I got in the bathroom I realized that the urinals were extremely long, so I thought I would take a picture and share, you're welcome. We waited for a little bit down stairs in the museum and then went upstairs to make chicken ramen. We got to put on these aprons and bandanas with ducks on them. I am not sure if they were trying to make us look stupid, but I loved it, and I can assure you that I will be wearing my bandana as much as possible when I get

Me, Riza, and her mom with our Chicken Ramen

We are gonna win the National Championship next year.....I can just feel it.

I bet you could make a sick necklace with these.

home. We got to mix and press out our own ramen and everything, and after the ramen was deep fried and ready to pack, we got to decorate the pack it went in just like we did with the Cup Noodles. My creative juices were running dry, so I just scribbled on mine and there was this little kid sitting next to me that couldn't be more than 8, and he was laughing at my art work and speaking in Japanese to his mom. He was most likely making fun of me but I like to think he was admiring my abstract work of art. After the ramen museum, we went to another mall, the Aeon Mall in Itami. In that mall I was determined to find a full Japanese outfit, so I would fit in. The mission was a success, I will put up some pictures when I put on my Japanese attire. After the mall we went back to Riza's house and then went out to eat at a Chinese restaurant. I figure this is the closest I have ever been to China while eating Chinese food, so it had to be pretty authentic Chinese food. Another random thing that keeps blowing my mind, is their books open the other way and they read from right to left. It is just a little thing, but it really messes with your mind; also their zippers are on the other side. It took me a good five minutes to get out of a jacket I put on at the mall. On that note, The Japanese word I want to end with today is delicious, so here it is. Oishii おいしい