I lurk more than I participate these days, but maybe some of the old timers may remember me.
Someone didn’t get the memo, and thought that somehow it was better to move from a hot climate and culture which allow shorts, t-shirts and flipflops 9 months of the year to Hokkaido in an apartment without central heat.
Fortunately, we hit the end of winter, but already my semitropically raised kids have learned how to shovel snow, chip and fall on ice, fill kerosene heaters, bundle up to go to bed and go snowboarding.
It’s been more than 25 years since I last went skiing and discovered that time does make a difference to our abilities.
It’s nice to be back in Japan where I understand the language, can talk to people and be able to find things in the supermarket by myself.
We’ve worked on teaching Japanese and English to our kids so while they are not great at the language, they can get around and are already making friends. They will be attending a local school so they will have a great chance to improve their language skills.
For those who remember Beta-chan, she’s now going to be in high school! She starts ninth grade in April!!! Ian would have been in 11th grade and Beta-chan’s younger brother will be in 7th grade. The days go slowly but the years fly by.
I at least certainly remember you and all your adventures.
If I may ask … why Hokkaido of all places in Japan? Nowhere on Japan’s main islands is exactly a tropical paradise, but you pretty much went for the max case of “… and now for something completely different.”
Welcome back dude! My NZ mate lives in Sapporo and we went to visit his family there a few years ago right in mid-winter. The ice festival was fun. I hear the beer festival is also really good. Take it easy on the slopes!
Happy you’re in a place that fits you and you fit it, if you get my drift (snow pun, sorry). I still miss living nearby Tokyo. Beijing just doesn’t have the same panache.
Like we could forget you! Glad to hear you’re still kickin’.
Being a Michigander, I’m accustomed to winter weather, but I generally cope by remaining indoors. But if you don’t have heat, well… Might as well do something fun outside.
I once spent a few days visiting some friends near Hakodate during the new year’s period (1979-1980). They lived in an old-fashioned farmhouse that had a little fire pit in the living room and that was it for built-in heating. This was a multi-generational home, and I was given the honor of the grandparents’ bedroom (I’m not sure where they slept while I was there). The bed was made up with about a foot of quilts on top, and a few layers on the bottom, and that was totally inadequate – my body heat was just sucked out of me and the quilts did bupkus to hold it in or reflect it back. I was also given a square metal box with ashes and a live coal inside, which was quite warm. I could choose to have either warm hands or warm feet with that thing. The children were allowed an electric heater in their room, but no-one else. It’s not that they were poor, in fact they were saving up and expecting to build a new house in a couple of years, I think the wiring would only take so much of a load.
I’ve led a pretty pampered life, I guess. I sure dreaded going to bed at night.
@TokyoBayer I remember you from days of yore, but that was when I mostly lurked and rarely touched the keyboard. Welcome back to SDMB and back to Japan. May your new home be everything you wish.
And, since I’m in my early 60s as well, I must say: “Skiiing? What’s that again?” No slopes for me. Stairs are hard enough.
We do have heat, just not central heat. We use a kerosene heater which can keep a room toasty, but not the bedrooms. We have electric heaters but they don’t work as well. Fortunately, we are at the end of winter so we’ve missed most of the coldest part of the year. We’ll see how it goes next year.
What a story!
I had a Japanese girlfriend in the mid 80s and they lived in an old-fashioned farmhouse as well. Luckily, this was in Kyushu and not in the middle of winter so we didn’t have the same problem. The funnest part was building a fire for heating the bath water.
Congratulations on living where you feel most comfortable and welcome!
For some reason, every time I even see the word “Japan” the first thing that pops into my mind is “great food”! Partly I think that’s because travel books by Westerners in Japan inevitably talk about the food. And also because the best restaurants I have ever been to have been Japanese.
Another manufacturer with the unfortunate name of Corona. Fortunately, it doesn’t make us sick.
Yes, Japanese food is really good! It’s a change from Taiwanese food, that’s for sure.
We’re in a little town and it’s harder to get used to life where you have to drive for hours and hours to get to a big city. It’s 2 1/2 hours to Sapporo, we we have to plan carefully for these trips.
Today, we went to register our new car and my wife forgot something necessary. With an hour each way, that added two more hours of driving.
Good to hear that things are going well for you and the family TokyoBayer. And welcome back to the Dope, don’t be a stranger, keep us up to date with your new adventures please.
