Beyond Writing - Education

Fahrat took my hand coolly when we met and gave me her mysterious smile. She adjusted her yellow head scarf after we shook hands as she was saying it was a pleasure to meet me. She wore a tunic of blue over plain pants that might pass as blue-jeans. Whatever was hiding under the tunic and headscarf, however, was no match for the brilliance of her smile, which belied her age, making her look as young and guileless as a child. In general, she had quiet demeanor, except when talking about her schooling and journey through and beyond secondary education, when she became positively chatty. Her parents wanted better for her, she explained. She is interested in art and history, but is passionate about her required community service project where she teaches young children in the slums of Chitagong. She currently attends Asian University for Women (AUW) located in her home country of Bangladesh, but which caters to underprivileged women from across South and East Asia, women who otherwise would not get post-secondary education.

Fahrat’s fellow AUW student, and fellow Bangladeshi, Pearly, had a wide mouth and dark, glossy hair, which she kept uncovered. Her eyes were frank and curious. Young, only nineteen, and interested in fashion and art, she captivated the young girls she met, who saw her as exotic. She had a harder time convincing her parents to allow her to go to an International University, but she did it, and she is in the Access Academy, the pre-freshman placement at AUW that readies the girls for university level curricula.

These two young women were in Tokyo this week for a fundraiser for their school. The Japan Support Committee for AUW had 300 people at the Yamano Beauty School for a screening of the PBS documentary “Time for School.” Producer Tamara Rosenberg attended and spoke at the event as well. The documentary itself was truly beautiful. The point of it is that it follows seven children in various countries over the twelve years of their schooling – they should be graduating in 2015, the year at which the United Nations and its member countries have pledged to have free basic schooling available to every child. They covered girls from Romania, India and Afghanistan and boys from Benin, Brazil, Japan and Kenya – showing the different school system and the obstacles the children have to overcome. The differences in issues and challenges were startling. One girl walks two hours each way to and from school. One boy deals with drug wars all around him. One girl easily gets to school, but her life is a pressure cooker. The grace and acceptance of these children startles even the most unflappable listener. These kids are determined to get an education, no matter the cost.

And that’s the connection to Fahrat and Pearly. They noted in their speeches last evening, that when you educate a man, you educate a man, but when you educate a woman, you educate a family and a village. These women, even if they don’t go directly back to their home villages, will go out in the world and find a way to give back to their communities. They will have the skills to do things like build a medical clinic, or have an AIDS prevention program. They will be able to direct funds to invest in their country. Both girls note that while some girls want to go directly back to their homes to either teach children or make a direct connection to the communities in which they grew up, all of the girls to a man want to somehow stay connected to their homes and improve the experiences of those younger than they.

This morning, the morning after the big night, my seven-year-old daughter Sydney came into my bathroom as I was getting ready for the day. She watched me carefully apply some mascara and I spritzed her with my perfume when I spritzed myself. Then I knelt down in front of her. I told her about meeting Fahrat and Pearly. I told her that she is lucky and that she has the power to make a difference in the world. Girls’ education is of critical importance in the developing world, but it is also incumbent upon women in my position to make our daughters feel empowered, like they can make a difference in the lives of others. Beyond the financial, my children are born of privilege because they have access to some of the best educational systems in the world. It is not something, I told my young daughter, that she should take for granted. Some girls don’t have what she has. Sydney looked at me seriously and promised that she would value her opportunities. I don’t know if she really understood me, but I am positive that this is not the last time we will be having this conversation.

Thank you, Fahrat and Pearly. You have been inspirational to me and my family.

To Thailand and Beyond!

Recently, Marc and I decided to take the kids to Thailand. We spent a day in Bangkok sightseeing around the city and then four days in Phuket relaxing around the pool and the beach. We went on elephant rides, ate great food and met up with wonderful friends. (Some on purpose and some by accident!) You can see my blog posting on the contradictions of Bangkok as a city on my professional blog: Aimee Weinstein, Tokyo Writer. But here are a few photos from the trip that I thought you might enjoy.

Food and Art (food as art?)

The cover of Metropolis Magazine (http://metropolis.co.jp/) this week has a picture of chef Daniel Martin on it - the chef at L'Espadon, a trendy little brasserie in the Kamiyacho section of Tokyo. The magazine article talks about Ta new trend in Tokyo eating establishments: the pairing of food and art. The artists partner with the restaurant owners or chefs and the arrangement is mutually beneficial: the artist's work is showcased and the restaurateur has instant decor. Both people presumably have a following of fans, so they cross-pollinate the markets with their partnership.

The phenomenon fascinates me, but what really intrigues me is that Marc and I ate at L'Espadon a few weeks ago with good friends. And we loved it! We are hoping that now that the chef and restaurant have been showcased by such a widely circulated magazine that the quality and price of the meal stays the same because we have always planned to eat there again soon.

L'Espadon is tucked away off the main road in a basement location. (In Tokyo, for the best restaurants, one must often look either high up or low down - street level can be so mediocre!) The atmosphere on the chilly winter night was warm and inviting, and the decor was in dark woods and red velvets, creating a feeling of coziness.

The food, though,was what really made us stand up and take notice. We ordered a course menu, which consisted of nine small and somewhat light courses:

• A plate of mini appetizers including: one prune wrapped in ham and grilled, a rectangle of grilled foie gras, a tartlet of clam chowder and a slice of salami.
• Two fried oysters
• Fish carpaccio
• Foie Gras creme brulee in a small ramekin with a side of salad
• Grilled Suzuki Fish
• A small cut of venison
• A bowl of strawberries in a balsamic vinegar and sugar sauce
• Coffee-Armagnac ice cream with a fig biscuit/wafer
• Mint tea

This did not include the bottle of wonderful Bordeaux wine that we shared. It was a wonderful experience and we cannot wait to go back. Just now we hope we can get a reservation if the chef is suddenly so popular. But that is what happens: trends start. At least we're in at the cutting edge of this one. Eating in Tokyo is always such a pleasurable adventure.

Two Weeks in New Zealand

Having just returned to Tokyo from two spectacular weeks in New Zealand, I realized that I have learned a lot of interesting facts and figures. Not to be boring, but in comparison, the two countries are about the same size with Japan being slightly larger. Bother are island countries, with Japan being more of an archipelago. However, their populations could be more different. Japan's population is 127 million, while New Zealand's is around 4.3 million. This is crucial fact from which to start a description of our visit because for most of our vacation, we felt like we had stepped out of the city, down a rabbit hole, and emerged into one of nature's most glorious natural paradises still known to man. Made up of two major islands, Auckland is on the north island and is the largest city in NZ, (though Wellington, at the southern part of the North island, is the capital) while Christchurch is the major city of the south island.

We chose New Zealand because it is the home of the Quin family, close friends who we met in Japan. Since being in Tokyo, they have since moved back to New Zealand and they opened their hearts and their homes to us. Their kids are at or near our kids' ages and it was the perfect way to spend the holiday.

We arrived in Auckland on Christmas Day and went directly to the Quin's beach house - commonly called a "Bach" in New Zealand - in Mangawhai - ninety minutes north of Auckland. It is summer there now, and we took full advantage of the sun and surf. Let's be clear though: it's not like we Americans think of summer. The air temps ranged from 65 to 80 and the water temps did not rise above 60-ish. Note the wet suits in the photos - it's impossible to swim otherwise.

After four relaxing days, we drove to Auckland to poke around a little. We went to the sky tower, the Auckland museum and to the harbor for dinner. It's a small city, but quite a beautiful one. It's surrounded by water, and not surprisingly called the "city of sails" for the myriad of sailboats docked there.

From Auckland, we flew to Christchurch where the Quins actually live. We spent one night there, before going north to a natural spring, Hamner for the day and then further north to Kaikoura for one night. We got on a whale watch boat the morning of the 31st of December. The day before had been stormy and the entire month had been chilly - following one of the coldest winters on record. You can see that there is still snow on the tops of the mountains. The issue was that they never should have let us out on the ocean - and in fact, the next few trips were cancelled. Ours was at 7:30am! Out of the 40 or so people on that boat, 3/4 or so threw up. Marc was one of the ones who did not throw up but all the rest of our combined family did. To add insult to injury, we didn't see any whales either. But all was not lost: we viewed it as an experience. For the rest of the trip, we referred to it as the YAK boat - and laughed. We were not laughing that day, but afterward we sure did!

We spent New Year's eve pretty quietly at the Quin's house. After a relaxing day on the 1st, we drove to Hokatika, another beach town on the West side of the South Island and had dinner. We drove another bit south and then spent the night by the Fox Glacier.

Climbing the Glacier the next day was an incredible life experience. All nine of us (Weinsteins and Quins) climbed over two hours up to the glacier, donned the necessary Crampons, and spent 45 minutes traversing the glacier before reversing the process. Five hours of hiking and not a peep of complaint from any child.

We had to climb through a lush rain forest to get there and on the way, we were able to drink from a natural spring. The weather, after some serious rain the night before and that morning, was clear and beautiful. We didn't even wear our big coats on the ice. The ice was slippery, but with the crampons on we stuck in pretty well. We felt like we were on top of the world.

We drove five hours south to Queenstown from Fox Glacier. One of the most beautiful places I've seen so far, Queenstown is where much of the principal photography for several movies such as "The Lord of the Rings" and the "Chronicles of Narnia" were shot. We took a whole tour based on the "Lord of the Rings" scenery. We were able to see several of the spots where the Hobbits lived or hid or something of that nature. We went off-roading into a little area literally called Paradise. The colors stunned us - the greens of the forests were like blankets of emeralds. The lakes and rivers were ice blue set against the indigo of the sky, which fascinated us.

We had a great fish dinner that night - the kids love seafood! Queenstown itself is a picturesque little place with a beautiful town square. We were able to browse around a few shops and walk up and down the streets. New Zealanders love the outdoors and outdoor sports. There were options for canoeing, bungee jumping, rafting, golfing, hiking, biking and any other outdoor sport one could think of. One could go camping or trekking in a myriad of areas. We didn't get to Milford Sound, purportedly one of the most beautiful places of the island nation where there is a popular trek on a path to take, but one has to be at least 10 years old. We'll go back again when Sydney is old enough.

In the morning we went jet-boating. Fifteen people in a boat traveling 80 km per hour. We were on a river in a canyon and the driver of the boat did 360 degree turns at that high speed. Because of the rain and snow-melt, the river was very high with rapids and everything. The kids squealed in delight!!

We had one last day in Christchurch where we went punting on the river Avon through the Botanical Gardens. Relaxing and beautiful.

We spent the night in Auckland again before flying out early to Hong Kong, spending a night with friends and my cousin there and then on again to Tokyo. It was a trip of a lifetime. Enjoy the photos and I hope you get there sometime.

Happy and Healthy 2010 to everyone. May the adventures continue!!

PS: Thank you to August for help with demographics...

A Trip to the Dentist, Japanese Style

Since we're not going Stateside this December, we won't make our twice-a-year dental cleanings at Dr. Kahan's office. We're pretty diligent about our oral health, so we decided to find a dentist here in Tokyo.

We found Dr. Suzuki, whose office is right up the street from where we live. A friend recommended him, noting that not only is he a great dentist, but he speaks perfect English, as does most of his staff.

There are a few things that are particular to dentists in Japan it seems. First of all, we took off our shoes at the door and wore the slippers that were provided. And second, we waited only seconds before the hygienist was ready for us. (Though that is common in the U.S. - I wait at doctors' offices, but almost never at the dentist's - hurrah for Dr. K!)

The best part about the experience was that they gave the children brushing lessons. First the hygienist took a cotton ball dipped in red dye and painted the kids' teeth. The dye is designed to stick only to tartar and showed them where they were missing spots with their toothbrushes - which of course was all over their teeth, especially at the gumline. Then they gave each child a toothbrush and literally taught them to brush so that they had to brush away all of the red dye. Only when it was all gone and the toothbrush cleaned did the hygienist proceed with cleaning their teeth.

As for Marc and me, the cleaning was pretty normal with a few noted exceptions. They measured our gumlines pretty precisely to make sure we didn't have bone loss or gum disease - each tooth was given a score not to exceed 4 or they'd have to treat the gums. They also put a towel around our heads as they worked on our mouths lest the light shine in our eyes to brightly.

It was an excellent experience overall and we'd go back again. In fact we have to go back on Thursday in order to consult with the orthodontist for Bailey. Yes, the office has an orthodontist that comes into the office weekly to see the dentist's orthodontia patients.

Enjoy the attached pictures. Be sure to note the bare feet or slippers as you look - and yes, Bailey's and Sydney's teeth were THAT red! Better oversight of brushing will now ensue.

Food Entry - Matsutake Mushrooms

Please see my photo of a Matsutake (Ma-Tsu-TAH-kay) mushroom here. It's a delicacy of a mushroom, and is harvested only in September and October in Japan. Every year Marc and I go to our favorite tempura restaurant, Mikawa, in Roppongi Hills to experience the Matsutake. It 's a large mushroom, not chewy and somewhat sweet. Tempura is one of those foods that is relative here - it's not fried nearly like it is in the U.S. It's light, sometimes with very little batter, and fried ever-so-gently with low heat. Most often we get the course menu at Mikawa - the dishes just keep coming until they're done serving us. It's called Omakase (oh-mah-kah-say) - chef's suggestions. They always start us off with shrimp, then give us the shrimp heads. (It's surprisingly delicious - popcorn-y) We get squid, fish, the special (sometimes the Matsutake, sometimes some other delicacy) and then yasai - veggies. We finish with Kakiage (kah-ki-AH-gay), which is several items - fish and veggies tempura-ed together in a ball then served either in soup (as Marc likes it) or over rice (as I like it) with soup on the side. They always serve pickles and beans in sweet jelly for dessert. It is the perfect meal graciously served by the chef as we sit at the counter. This is the branch restaurant of their main one but it is staffed by some of the loveliest and tradititional women we have met in Tokyo. They are always telling us of some event or another that is in Tokyo when we're there. We are greeted like family when we arrive - and they keep the sake flowing. One time we complimented the sake server and cups that they gave us, and they always remember it and give us the same cups when we arrive. (The restaurant, like most traditional ones, serve with an eclectic mix of table-ware - nothing truly matching.) A visit to Mikawa and the Matsutake celebreates the autumn for us.

Autumn in Tokyo

This has got to be my favorite season. In Tokyo, unlike in other places, it's not about leaves changing and the nip in the air or anything like that. It's about the heat and humidity releasing itself and the sunshine spilling all over the city. Buildings sparkle, streets shine and people BREATHE. Every breath taken in is a pleasure. The skies are cloudless and the temps are perfect. Often there's a breeze. Here are two sunny photos of neighborhoods near my house.

A Random Matsuri

One of the reasons we love living in Japan is that we never know what we're going to see. This weekend, right in our neighborhood, we ran into a festival, a matsuri. The followers take the portable shrines (mikoshi) and carry them through the streets, shouting and laughing and of course, drinking. The bearers of each shrine each wear a different costume. All are jackets with white shorts underneath. Some men do not wear anything underneath except a sort of jock strap, which is interesting to observe as they bounce down the street wtih the shrine. It was a beautiful, sunny day, just perfect for a festival. The people were jubilant with their celebration and their voices rang from the rooftops, along with chantings and banging on everything from drums to simple pots and pans. It was quite a sight and we appreciate it.

American Culture Shock

One thing that struck me during my travels this summer was these two posters inside a restaurant called "Cheeburger Cheeburger" - it's a southern chain.

Basically if an adult eats a one-pound hamburger (approximately 450 grams) then the management will take your picture and post it on the wall. The kids section (under 12 years old) is for a half-pound of meat.

Yes, they are rewarding big meat-eaters - the very essence of American ethos.

Then again, the burger costs under $10 - and includes fries, something you cannot find in Japan. I suppose every culture has its advantages and disadvantages.

Make of it what you will.

But for now at least, I'm happy to be home in Japan.

Summer in the U.S.

The kids and I are spending the summer in the U.S. visiting various friends and family, having camp experiences, violin experiences, and more rental car and airport experiences than we'd care to admit. Here's a quick few pix from our American slice of life.

A Novel Recycling Idea

Japan has always been on the forefront of the "green" movement. According to my friend Sora, when she was a kid, a truck would come around and shout out "Chirigami Kokan!" Chirigami is a combination of two words: "Chiri," meaning trash, and "gami" - a variant for the word paper, "cami." Kokan means "swap."

When the truck came around, Sora and her mom and siblings would run around collecting all of the newspapers and magazines of the week - and in those days there was a lot of paper reading going on - perhaps two or more newspapers per household. They would bring all of it out to the truck and the driver would weigh it with a special scale attached in the bed of the truck. Then, based on the weight of the papers, the driver would exchange the paper for toilet paper.

Yep, recycle papers in exchange for toilet paper.

This discussion came around because Sora, Jason, Marc and I were sitting in our living room and a truck was driving down the street with its driver screaming "saudake!" which Sora explained means "bamboo pole." Japanese use the pole to hang between two hooks on their balconies to dry laundry. There are trucks selling fresh tofu and grilled sweet potatoes. It's such an old fashioned yet personal way to do one's personal business.

This system is pretty much defunct now and there are more formal recycling venues, but the greening of a nation began years ago...

An Interesting Afternoon

Today my friends Pravya and Nancy and I went to The Grand Hyatt in Roppongi Hills to experience a little decadence. We smoked cigars and drank red wine - at lunchtime. Nancy taught us to snip the end of the cigar, light it and draw on it to keep it lit. We puffed without inhaling. We enjoyed the looks from the Japanese men who were there for business lunches. And we laughed! What a life.

Random Silliness

What do you get when you cross a hamburger with a donut?  See the results as advertised by Mr. Donut in Iidabashi, Tokyo!

My Favorite Place in Japan

This is my entry into the Japan Blog Matsuri, hosted by the Nihon Sun. (See this link: http://www.nihonsun.com/2009/05/07/japan-blog-matsuri-may-2009/)

My favorite place in Japan to visit is the Daibutsu Buddha in Kamakura; I could visit monthly and spend hours there and still never tire of it. Somehow its impressive and imposing position and serene countenance symbolize the peace that I look for inside of me. With most places, but especially here, I learn more and see something different every time I visit.

The Buddha is one of those common scenes - if you saw a picture of it, it would be something you would recognize as a symbol of Japan in general. It was built in 1252 and was originally enclosed in a temple, until a typhoon destroyed the temple. So since 1495 it has just been sitting in the open air with some surrounding areas for worship. The statue is 37 feet high. Just its eyebrow is over 4 feet long and the ear is over 6 feet. The area around it is tree-filled, and like Kamakura in general, the mountains are visible from at least three sides. Considering it resides in a small city, it is a true oasis. A few years ago when my friend, professor and mentor, Dulce, was visiting, she and I went and sat on a rock by the side of the statue and just stared up at it for what seemed like hours. By the time we stood to leave, it was after 5pm; the sun was beginning to set and the area was nearly silent so we didn’t need to talk. The serenity was palpable.

However, on that particular trip, as we got up, I happened to take one last look at the front of the statue – there were about ten or twelve people there, all of them staring upward, with one arm up, holding up their mobile phones to take a photo. It was absurd. Here was a figure from the 11th century, and people in the twenty-first century are flashing their mobile phones at it. Dulce and I sat down to recapture the mood and stayed until the guard kicked us out because the temple closed at 6pm. Tourists or not, no one was going to disturb our inner – and outer – sanctum.

Adventures of the Golfing Variety

The golf driving range at Jingumae, in the heart of Tokyo is a combination of Western and Eastern that golf enthusiasts from across the globe can appreciate. Its location next to the National Stadium, where the Yakult Swallows play their home games make for easy access via the subway. Upon entering, there is a pro shop that sells every golf notion from packs of tees to the most expensive and professional of clubs. Right outside of the shop, at a small vending machine, guests purchase a rechargeable card in increments of 3000, 5000 or 10,000 JPY and then turn around to get a “box” from the desk. There are three floor options – for one price, you can be on the first, second or third floors of the building. Of course the first floor is the most expensive since it approximates course conditions the most realistically. You walk from the desk down a long hallway which is open on one side to face tee boxes and the open range, netted in carefully from about 300 meters away. Each tee box is separated with a half-wall that goes only half the length of the box as well. In each box is a chair and a hanger from which you can hang your coat. To get started, you put your card into the machine near the entry of the tee box. Instantly, right on the green in the front of the box, a tee with a ball on it pops up. There are more than forty tee boxes lined up along the wall of what used to be a second baseball stadium. You can tell what its prior use was from the stands of seats that still exist to the side of the boxes.

The idea is to set yourself up and take as many shots as you’d like. You pay by the ball and the machine automatically deducts from your declining balance card. Every time you hit one ball, another pops right up. It’s easy to forget how many balls you’ve already hit! Thankfully, the machine keeps track of each one.

There are, of course, the omnipresent vending machines of every drink under the sun, from milk to water to cups of various sodas and sports drinks. Near the entrance however is an interesting vending machine that sells golf gloves. There is a ring of them on the machine to try on so that you make the proper choice out of the machine. Of course, this interesting vending machine is situated strategically adjacent to the cigarette vending machine.

No trip to anywhere in Japan would be complete without oshibori, the hot washcloth. Right before you leave there is a cabinet full of them and you can use one free of charge to clean up before leaving. After the exertion of the swing, the towel is most welcome.