This first journal entry will just be a brief little run through of what my life (at least during the first 3 months of my stay anyway since things have changed after that) was like. The pictures here are all going to be relatively small, but should anyone want larger pictures for some strange reason, feel free to e-mail Phill and ask him for larger and more detailed photos. And now with that precursor out of the way...

Welcome To Phill's Life In Osaka 2001

Osaka is the 3rd largest city in Japan (behind Tokyo and Yokohama which are pretty much connected to one another). It boasts a population of over 8 million, of which I have now become one.

Shown in the picture to the left is a mix of historical and modern day Osaka (although it's mostly the later which remains today). This picture would also lead one to believe that there is a lot of grass in Osaka. That however is not the case. It's just a lie they tell gullible foreigners to get them to reside here. Fortunately I'm not a cow and don't sustain my life force by eating it. Grass that is.

I was pretty lucky though as far as where I live. I live on the 3rd floor of this building (Suehiro Heights) and right across the street [right outside my bedroom window in fact] is a nice little park. A park with no grass of course, but it does have some nice trees and space to do athletic-ish activities (not that I would ever dream of doing anything more athletic then playing a sports video game, but at least that option is there for me to ignore).

I share my apartment with 2 other NOVA teachers. We each have our own rooms and share a common kitchen/living room, TV/VCR, toilet, and bath.

Ross
Age: 27
Hometown: Boston
Major: English
Interests: Chess,
Reading, and
Sports. (Red Sox
fan)

The three of us all came over here on the same day (Ross and I were even on the same plane) and got along well. Ross has since moved out (as I am soon going to do myself) and is contemplating a departure from Japan soon. Both of them teach at different NOVA schools from me.

Since Ross moved out we've recieved a new roommate at Suehiro Heights named Eamonn from Dublin, Ireland. He's been to a ton of different countries and plans to teach for NOVA's online school.

This is me dressed for work and holding up a Hanshin Tigers jersey (my favorite baseball team). On the floor at my feet is my futon. And yes I do sleep on the floor now.

My room is 6 tatami mats big, it has some closet space, a space heater, a clothing rack, and a sliding glass doorway the steps onto the balcony.

And there's not really much else to say about it beyond that.

And here is beautiful Neyagawa NOVA where I work (actually we've sinced moved down the street and no longer work in this building, but this is where it all began). NOVA is on the 2nd and 3rd floors of this building.

Neyagawa is a small town (compared to Osaka anyway) but has some good places for shopping and eating and that sort of thing. It's about 45 to 50 minutes away from Suehiro Heights by subway/train (I have to take two different lines to get there every day).

Left: Me and some of my coworkers at a party on Christmas Day, 2001.

Right: Me and Travis (whom I went to Tokyo Disney Land with) singing it up at Karaoke in Owada.