Temp○rary driv○r's licens○ [Culture]
(It's weird that this article is often attacked by spam comments. So I tried to process the title not to be searched.)
In these weeks, I hadn’t received any call to my cell phone.. and vice versa. Ummm. I'm lonely man. But I had a call yesterday! Who? From AIG Hawaii…. Customer service said that I needed to get state driver’s license, instead of international driver’s license issued in Japan. I’ve heard that this license is effective just during 6 months for residents but tourists, as a rule. Then I went to driver’s license center located 15 minutes from my apartment by car. At first I had writing test. Fortunately we have Japanese one in Hawaii, and then I easily passed it.
In Japan, we generally need to pay over 3,000 dollars for driver’s license school and have many classes and many hours’ driving exercise on road. But here we pay totally 25 or 30 dollars. Why we have such a difference between Japan and here! Japan has crazy system. I’m supposed to have driving test on road October 27th. I’m on the long long waiting list. But this long period is good for me, because I need to practice parallel parking, which I have never conducted on the road during this decade.
Kava (Awa) [Culture]
I’ve heard that there is a drink extracted from root of a low tree (pepper family), and this has special effect, something like dope. To try this drink, I went to Diamond Head Cove（Health Café）located at Monsarrat Ave. I heard that the owner, Marcu, makes this drink by himself. When we ordered it, therefore, the drink was directly served into coconut bowl from 1 gallon water bottle.
He said that with a cup of drink, this makes lip and tongue asleep, and give deep sleep at night. My collaborator in Japan also had said that they were served this kind of drink by head man, when they entered a small village in Fiji for their research. This seems to be popular in Pacific islands. Taste? You know, I said that it was made from root of plant. Umm, it was just root. But I did not find it’s effect for sleep, because I always have good sleep.
Vending machine [Culture]
Unlike the life in Japan, we use credit or debit card every day. In addition, I had many chance to issue check to pay lent and other materials. It is a little bit inconvenient. But stamps may be cheaper than the service charge when we send a remittance. Post office at Alamoana shopping center is busy every time, while at Manoa shopping center and at South King street usually there are no people who make line. Therefore this stamp vending machine is very useful. All of processes is just to select the type of parcel or envelops, weigh them at scale on left side and select the sending method such as priority. Payment is by card instead of 37 cents…...
Independence Day [Culture]
Today is national holiday, but of course I don’t have any deep emotion. We also have such a national holiday “The Commemoration of Founding of Nation” in Japan, but I can not say the date.. At the star market close to my apartment, there are many decorations during last 1 month for today.
One of good points in national holiday may be that I can watch lots of sports program on TV. By the way, is “Hot dog eating contest” sports? http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2100385 Together with MLB, Tennis at Wimbledon and Tour de France, this contest is broadcasted in TV sports news. If hot dog eating is adopted in Olympic games, I wonder if Japan get another gold medal-
Down to Earth [Culture]
When I lived in the center of Tokyo in Japan, I had thought that I would never live such a convenient place in the future. But here is also convenient place. In the area within 3 minutes walk from my apartment, I have 3 big supermarkets, over 20 restaurants and my main bank, First Hawaiian Bank. Though always I buy food at “Star market”, yesterday I went to other supermarket, “Down to Earth” for the first time (http://www.downtoearth.org/). This shop is chain store in Hawaii and so impressive store for me, contrarily to the expectation. Every food on the shelf is natural food for Veggies! I’ve never seen so many special foods for vegetarian. Here is really heaven, Zion for Veggies! I think this kind of store will be popular in Japan, too.
Baseball [Culture]
Even at Hawaii, where there is no local team in MLB, there are many baseball parks. Although I played soccer while I was students, I like to go to baseball stadium to see the baseball game. Within 1 minute walk from my apartment, we have Moilili Baseball Park.
Surprisingly, the team is often mixture of man and women, and they seem to enjoy “baseball”. This may not be general sight in US, but only at Hawaii. One baseball player, Benny Agbayani, who was born in Hawaii and popular player here, is now playing in Japan.
Quarter [Culture]
Quarter is useful coin at usual life, because I need them for washing machine, dryer and public phone. So I stock them every day. It’s the time for washing my clothes, when I got 7 quarters! But, you know, we usually use debit or credit card for our shopping, then it takes a lot of days to get enough coins. Plus, I found that there are many kinds of quarters, which are struck for celebration of each state, and have different designs. (http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/index.cfm?flash=yes&action=50_state_quarters_program) I must wait until 2008, to get the coin for Hawaii State.. I want to collect these coins. Oh it’ll take more days to get enough coins for washing.
What’s lbs? [Culture]
I’ve set up my room, kitchen and kitchenware, now I’m ready to cook! It’s very enjoyable to hang out markets. There are many vegetables and fruits which I’ve never looked and cook. But what’s lbs? ponds? It’s really difficult to estimates the total price at first glance. At the markets in Japan, the size of vegetables is usually regulated. Then it enables to sell them at the price per package including some numbers. Irregular sized vegetables are not distributed. It’s ridiculous! That’s good system to sell various sizes of vegetables and fruits at the price per weights.
Of course, I know banana.
Can opener [Culture]
The shape of can opener is just different from that we usually use in Japan. How do I use it? I struggled with this tool for 30 minutes to open 1 tuna can. Finally I made a lot of hole on the side, and then I could open it. I felt that I was chimpanzee at the zoology laboratory.
I bought new can opener at Wal-mart, therefore I can open it within 5 minutes!
Too Cooool [Culture]
You know, the room in United States is usually too cool due to intensive air-conditioning. So I knocked off the overhead fan by plastic sheet! Hurrah!
Now I and you can not believe that I usually got good score at the class of art & craft, when I was student. I’ll have other method, after getting a sleep.
