Friday, September 26, 2008

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Part 1

So many people ask me about living in Japan, so I decided to do a little pictorial series about my neighborhood. I hope you enjoy the tour!

A question for my female readership (which is probably 100%!), how do you give directions? Are you a North/South/East/West person with street names, or do you like to give landmarks? My DH is annoyed by the fact that I am a landmark person...you know, right after the Target, etc. Well, there are NO street signs in our town! So, directions are all by landmark! HA!

This picture is of the house on the corner of our street. It is Forest Green and has this cute RCA dog on it's porch! Kinda struck me as funny...and does every other American as well because if I just explain where I live via the RCA dog, everyone knows where it is!

This picture is of the houses across the street from us. I love the yards...so nicely taken care of. Rumor has it that people who prune trees here make a lot of money. It is a real art.

This picture is of the back road we take into the city center. Yes, it is 2 lanes! Yes, it is SCARY! Especially since it is an everyday occurrence to have people riding their bikes and walking their dogs along the side of the road. As you can see, not a sidewalk in sight! Did I mention that after the bend down a ways are concrete ditches on both sides? They are conveniently a little wider than your tires, so about once a week you see some poor soul whose car is tilted and stuck in one. (Knock on wood, that has never been me!!) This road is extra special when it snows...

The last picture for today is a close up of the sign. I don't read Kanji, but I am sure it says something like "Slow Down you idiot!"

9 comments:

Jen said...

Oh, I am a total landmark person. Whenever my husband tries to tell me "go east" my response is - "well, what building is on that corner?"

thescrapmaster said...

What a cute neighborhood. I love to see your area! What an experience that must be to live overseas! Thanks for sharing with us.

~Samantha

thescrapmaster said...

Oh, I forgot to add. . . I don't navigate LOL I am HORRIBLE with directions so much so that my mom bought me a TomTom navigator for my car last Christmas :) I am still a little embarrassed but it works like a dream!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tour. It looks very American where you live.

I am a landmark person. And, since I'm from the south I give directions like, down the road a little from the dead tree on the right, in the field with 6 horses and a black cow across the street...LOL Well, not quite that bad. But I am TERRIBLE with N,S,E, W directions. I think I am going to get a GPS before I go on vacation again. Since I turned 40 it is hard to drive, hold the map up to the light on the ceiling of the van, and get my eyes close enough to see without wrecking. I really need to train my 9 year old on how to read maps, lol. My two oldest usually travel together in a different car. Anyway, thanks for sharing some pics.

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha! My girls are going to be modern girls. I'm going to teach them how to pitch a tent...in front of the mall when something new and exciting is going to be released at 4 am, and how to hunt...for a bargain...and how to read a....gps! LOL Just kidding. Mostly I teach them how to not squeal to loud when they see a giant wolf spider in the v of the tent when they lay down to sleep. i always tell them, don't shine your flashlight up it draws bugs. Really it is because I KNOW the bugs are up there and I don't want them to see them! LOL

Your comment on my blog made me laugh! Thanks for visiting.

Heather

Bonnie said...

You and me there chicky. Landmarks by far. My dh teases me about that sometimes, because would if that landmark moves or disappears...THEN WHAT! You are a lucky person to experience what you doing, and your kids...AMAZING!

gale said...

Oh my gosh how funny! My parents had (and may still have) several sizes of those RCA dogs! lol. Those trees are amazing. You should take up that hobby. ;) I am totally a landmark person too. I'd be lost without them (literally).

Anonymous said...

I love your translation of the sign! We need those here in the States! Thanks for sharing your bit of the world with us!

Glad that were groupies:)
Jen

P.S. Directions...I use a bit of both:)

Tlbran said...

Love your pictures. I agree, directions with landmarks are the best.