Ryukyu Star
Spring 2014
Ryukyu Star Editor
Kathryn Strong
Visual Editor Jd Banks
Prefectural Advisors Grant Minagawa Elizabeth Reuter
Contact us at
ryukyustar@ajet.net
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Editors’ Notes
Contributors
Announcements
2014
spring
5 13 23 31 43
PA’s Palace
7-8 Notes from the Kencho - Grant Minagawa & Elizabeth Reuter 9-10 Grant’s Goodbye 11-12 Elizabeth’s Goodbye
Talk Shop
15-18 Japan: It’s the Small Things - Lucas LaPlante 19-22 Rich and Jd’s Fairy Tales - Rich Basile and Jd Banks
Play Pen
25 Where in the World is Rekio the Lion? - Grant Minagawa 27-30 The Adventures of Mr. King and R. Basile - Tom Becskehazy
Community Center
33-34 35-36 37-38 39042
Tea, an Old Friend - Jess Berturbin Unstuffed Stuffed Peppers - Kelly Farrow Trattoria Bar Gerumagnon - Tom Becskehazy Minatogawa Stateside Town - Wendy Ng
Art Republic
45-46 A Rainy Day in Nakagusuku Castle - Jess Bertubin 47 CLICHE- Rich Basile 48 Self-Portrait of Another Person - Rich Basile 49-50 Spare No One, Especially Me - Rich Basile
Editors’ Notes I woke up this morning to find that rainy season had arrived. I lay in bed listening to the splashing of rain on my balcony, broken by the occasional crash of thunder, until I drifted back to sleep. The next time I woke grey light filtered through the shoji in my bedroom, and the sound had dissipated to a gentle patter. I pulled on my robe and wandered into my living room. Raindrops ran down the windowpanes; the ocean looked turbulent. I debated going back to bed—rainy season does that to me, the drippy days spent inside. I didn’t go to sleep. Instead I grabbed a good book and curled up in front of my window to read. That’s my favorite way to spend lazy rainy days. This issue of the Ryukyu Star is filled with other ideas of how to spend your afternoons inside. Jess writes her personal reflections on tea and it’s relation with rain. Tom and Wendy share some restaurant recommendations where you can hole up and get delicious food at the same time. Lucas’s article gives us food for thought on some of his opinions about Japan. If you don’t feel like venturing outside, Kelly has sent in a recipe to try! And if you’re like me and just want a good story, Rich and Tom have sent in some entertaining works of fiction, perfect for a rainy afternoon. Of course, any talk of rainy season is haunted by the specter of typhoon season and with it, the summer changeover season. This August, we’ll be losing both of our PAs. Included in this issue are goodbyes from both Elizabeth and Grant to the OkiJET Community at large. If you’re leaving as well, know that you’ll be missed. If you’ve decided to leave the JET Programme but still wish
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Editors’ Notes | Ryukyu Star
to remain in Japan, check out the “Notes from the Kencho”. This time, the column is focused on job-finding resources. Finally, if you’re staying, now is the time to dig in for another year in Japan. Make a list of things that you’d like to accomplish, think about any changes that you need to make, and get ready to enjoy the rush of energy and excitement that the bright-eyed new JETs bring with them every summer. I know that seeing the island through their eyes helps me to recapture the awe I felt when I first arrived. In the meantime, don’t let the rain get you down! I hope you enjoy this issue of the Ryukyu Star. I’d like to extend a huge thank you to all of our contributors, the PAs, our readers, and Jd, my editing other half. It takes a lot to get this magazine together, and it couldn’t be accomplished without this community of support. Thank you!
Kathryn Strong
The word for a lot of rain is o-ame in Japanese, and now would be the appropriate time to use it. Sometimes, when rain overwhelms the sky and puddles up concaves, I suddenly feel small against nature. “When will it stop?” I usually think. I know that rain is good for the earth. By drawing from this feeling, I made this issue’s cover into a small person being swept up by a flower while large raindrops fall around her. The girl seems to be saying, “Don’t get bogged down by the rain! There’s a sprout waiting for you to pluck at this time!” This also applies to everyone whether you’re staying or leaving the JET Programme. Don’t let the painful things soak through your skin. Create positive memories while holding the good times close to your heart.
Jd Banks
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Contributors Grant Minagawa
Grant once wrote the "Secret Adventures of Rekio the Lion" a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. When not serving time in the building nicknamed "the Deathstar", he enjoys taking pictures and traveling with his little wooden padawan.
Elizabeth Reuter
Elizabeth Reuter is on her third and last year as a CIR, which both excites and scares the crap out of her. She has had one novel published (The Demon of Renaissance Drive) and is currently editing a second while studying for the JLPT in July. The combined stress has given her several mental breakdowns and possibly a tumor. Officials are now coming to take her away to the crazy farm. Goodbye, all! She’ll write to you!
Lucas LaPlante
Lucas LaPlante is a returning JET who spent 3 years as an ALT in Oita-Ken before coming back to teach junior high school in Miyako. This time, he hopes to get more deeply involved in the JET community, and aims to do so through his writing.
Tom Becskehazy
Tom B. is a 2nd year JET from Arizona, although he’s been living in Okinawa since January, 2009. He loves scuba diving, hiking, and drinking beer on the beach. Or on a boat. Or pretty much anywhere, really. You can find him at Shuri HS doing bingata between classes.
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Want to be a contributor for the next Ryukyu Star? Send your articles to ryukyustar@ajet.net!
Rich Basile
Rich writes about himself in the things he writes. Read more about him there.
Jess Bertubin
Born in Okinawa, raised in Hawaii, Filipino by blood, but with a universal stomach. Jess can be found taking long walks for the sake of long walks or scribbling on a notebook or eating some new food - or all of the above, all at the same time!
Wendy Ng
Wendy is a first-year JET from the tropical island Singapore. Recently, other than suffering from ‘Compulsive Obsessive Travelling Planning Disorder’ (COTPD), she is developing symptoms closely associated with ‘Compulsive Obsessive Culinary Adventures Planning Disorder’ (COCAPD).
Kelly Farrow
Kelly Farrow is a school library media specialist from the Chicago area. This means that anything related to reading, books, or libraries ranks pretty high on her interest list! She’s currently living in Haebaru with her husband, Eric.
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PA’s Palace Notes from the Kencho Elizabeth Reuter Grant Minagawa Goodbyes Elizabeth Reuter Grant Minagawa
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Notes from the
Kencho Elizabeth Reuter Grant Minagawa
Usually around this time of year, there will be a PA page explaining how to leave Okinawa with the most grace and the fewest regrets. It’s good advice. Check back issues of the Ryukyu Star to read it. The PA page is going to be a bit different this year though, because some ALTs are not sure about whether to stay or go (granted, that’s a yearly thing too, but as it didn’t occur to your adoring PAs to write on this topic before now, we hope previous generations of ALTs will forgive us). For each ALT to make the best possible decision for him or herself, he or she needs to know at least some of the available options. There are jobs other than JET. They don’t usually pay as well or offer the same support, insurance, or pension refunds, so thoroughly investigate each offering before committing to anything. The prefectural government/office also doesn’t officially authorize these sites—it is up to each of you to do your own investigating and decide what works or doesn’t.
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PA’s Palace | Ryukyu Star
Gaijin Pot (https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/) is probably the most famous, with a variety of jobs (not just teaching) listed by location and/or job type. Be careful, however, as Gaijin Pot takes sponsor money, and is notorious for deleting any information their sponsor companies don’t want printed.
O-Hayo Sensei (http://www.ohayosensei.com/) is an established newsletter for English teachers in Japan, and it includes a free job search function specific to teaching jobs. If you are bilingual, Japanese Jobs (http://www.japanesejobs.com/) is a job matching agency that works in the US and Japan. You can sign up and submit your resume for free.
Tokyo Connections (http://www.tokyoconnections.com/) runs along the same vein, geared towards non-Japanese professionals looking for jobs in Japan. It also shows jobs for Japanese speakers overseas and bilingual speakers moving back home.
Also along the same line is Jobs in Japan (http://www.jobsinjapan.com/), a wide-ranging site with everything from job opportunities to furniture sales to help wanted ads.
Interac (https://www.interacnetwork. com/recruit/japan.html) is a well-known Eikaiwa company. You can apply from within Japan. There are many other companies, though Interac seems to have the widest recognition, which can be found on the above-listed job sites.
Also for bilinguals is Dai Job (http://www. daijob.com/en/), which has additional resources to help you make your resume.
And finally, another bilingual resource is the Tokyo Career Forum, and its webpage: http://www.careerforum.net/?lang=E. This is a yearly event where companies looking for bilinguals (you need JLPT3 to even get through the door) and bilinguals looking for places to work go to meet each other. The website is full of information and ideas, plus a job search engine and forum to talk with other job searchers, so it’s worth checking out even if you’re not going to the forum itself.
The above is not everything available. Keep your ear to the ground; you never know what’s going to pop up. Write or call with any questions. Good luck!
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Grant’s
Goodbye Grant Minagawa
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PA’s Palace | Ryukyu Star
This summer, I will be finishing my contract with the Prefectural BOE and leaving Okinawa. The last four years (two at Ishikawa and Chubu Agricultural High Schools, two at the Kencho) have been full of great experiences, and I’ve learned more than I could have ever expected when I got off the plane that sweltering August afternoon. We’ve come a long way in these four years. We’ve started new systems and changed names, tweaked out minor flaws and totally revised the way we’ve done things. SDC was a learning experience for everyone; and Support, Block and all our other systems have only come to make the JET Programme stronger. You could call it the end of an era. All those in Okinawa JET’s management positions will have changed out by the end of the summer. You could also call it the beginning of a new one. Okinawa JET will have a fresh start and a new leadership perspective come fall. The JET Programme has done a lot of good so far, and there’s still so much potential. I hope everyone who stays for another year will support the new PAs and continue to make Okinawa JET better!
There are few Ken JETs around now who remember a time when Nakayoshi Sensei wasn’t our JET Programme supervisor. Since April of 2010, he’s been deeply involved in all of our experiences, from signing off on our school placements to paying the travel agent for our return flights and handing out the tickets himself at the very end. He’s been an invaluable advisor, an advocate when we’ve needed it and a hilarious character who will make my time at the Kencho difficult to forget! In April, our good friend became Nakayoshi Kyoto-Sensei of Naha Kokusai High School. If you get a chance, please thank him for all his hard work! Also in April, we welcomed a new English Teacher Consultant, Mr. Tamotsu Miyagi. Before coming to the Kencho, Tamotsu Sensei spent three years at the Education Center as a Teachers’ Consultant. You may have seen him helping us setup at the New JET Orientation or SDC. Before that, he worked at Kaiho High School. Though we’ve only worked together for a few weeks, it’s clear that Tamotsu Sensei is very dedicated and interested in getting to know the JETs and the program. I look forward to introducing him to you in the next few months!
Ken JET English Teachers’ Consultant In March, the Ken JETs lost a great resource and ally; our English Teachers’ Consultant, Mr. Kenichi Nakayoshi. Nakayoshi Sensei has worked closely with KenPAs in the Prefectural BOE’s School Education Division for the past four years. (left) Mr. Tamotsu Miyagi (right) Grant Mingawa and Mr. Kenichi Nakayoshi
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Two years ago around this time, I wrote a PA page saying goodbye to that year’s returners. I mused that because of the inevitability of change, some parts of their experience here might stay with them forever, while other parts might slip away from their memories and lives to never be thought of again. Yet remembered or forgotten, all those experiences and people would remain part of them. Now that it’s my turn to say goodbye, I keep coming back to those words, and I still agree with them. I found those words easily then, and they continue to resonate with me now, because I am familiar with goodbyes. By the time this essay is published in the Ryukyu Star, I will be thirty-three, and that means I will have spent a decade of my life traveling the world— from one part of the United States to another in Japan, from one city in Mexico to another here in Okinawa. I have, I realize now, been looking not just for adventure, but also for someplace to belong. In these three years in Okinawa, I have discovered that such a place cannot be found. I will have to make it, and I now have both the strength and the will to do so. This job, which I am so lucky to have had, gave me a lot. Professionally, I gained experience in many fields: event planning, presentation making, translation, human resources. Personally, it made me face truly awful people who showed me everything I don’t want to be, and others so wonderful that I will spend the rest of my life trying to live up to their example. In Okinawa, everything feels possible. In World War II, much of its history was lost, along with many lives. Yet Okinawa looks forward for ways to better itself. Glass soda bottles tossed onto public roads were seen as a resource to make Ryukyu Glass. Globalization, feared elsewhere, is here seen as an opportunity for jobs and ad-
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vancement. I think that enthusiasm is amazing, and I want to take it with me wherever I go. I’m ready to make the life that I want for myself, and it is Okinawa that taught me the drive and clear-headedness. Okinawa is always moving forward, and I will do the same. No place means anything without people, however. Some of you reading this, I know intimately. Others of you I met only once or twice. But all of you were part of what has become the most incredible, transformative, and didactic experience of my life. I am more grateful than I can ever express. The idea that I might have helped any of you, who helped me so much, in any small way, would make me happier than anything else. I hope that I did. Thank you.
Elizabeth’s
Goodbye Elizabeth Reuter
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Talk Shop!
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Japan: It’s the Small Things Lucas LaPlante Rich and Jd’s Fairy Tales (for the Story Impaired) Rich Basile Jd Banks
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You are FOREIGNER 15
Talk Shop | Ryukyu Star
Japan
It’s in the Small Things Having lived here for over eight months now, you new JETs out there have no doubt found many things to love about Japan. With endless opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture, you’ve discovered many of the hidden charms, intriguing people, and little pleasures available here. On the other hand, I’m equally certain that there have been other things about living here that make you twitch uncontrollably whenever you think about them. This is the time when many new
JETs start to feel that the honeymoon is over, and although we do our best to put on a good face, sometimes it helps to acknowledge that there are certain “quirks” we must all inevitably face while living here. The following is intended to let you know that we all experience these things at some point, to warn you about some of the quirks you have yet to experience, and perhaps, if you feel like passing it along, even to shed some light on the experience for those back home.
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Beauty and the Olfactory Beast Japan is a land of contrasts, and one that I frequently can’t help but notice is that I often see carefully refined, lovingly maintained gardens right next to foul-smelling, shabbily maintained open sewers. Japan in general opts for trench sewers with removable concrete slabs on top, but these slabs aren’t airtight, and so the result is that the smell of raw sewage often permeates the air, especially on hot summer days. Given that the downside of this is so glaringly, nauseatingly obvious, I can’t imagine how this is still the general practice but...*hurk*...there it is. If anyone from the public works commission reads this, you should know that we bury our sewers in Canada, and I promise you it works just fine. I beg you to give it a whirl. The Culture of Cute Everything—and I mean everything here—has a mascot. A cutesy, cartoony mascot that stares back at you, waving from bank signs, food packages, utility bills, you name it. The country appears to be obsessed with cuteness. Think Hello Kitty. Think Pokemon. Then take that and multiply it a hundred thousand times and you begin to have some idea. For a few people (some women, and an eyebrow-raising number of men) this is a vision of paradise, but for your average person, this is like being forced to live in your 5-year-old sister’s room for as long as you are here. And it’s not just limited to the visual. Almost every advertisement is delivered in a high-pitched, feminine, cartoonish cute voice. It’s enough to give you cavities. It may also have something to do with why Japanese men tend to drink heavily.
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Talk Shop | Ryukyu Star
The Hospitality Duality I will come right out and verify that it’s true what people think about Japan in terms of politeness: the people, even the students, are almost always impeccably polite which is immensely helpful when teaching junior high school, let me tell you. They will go out of their way to make you feel welcome and accommodate your needs, and I mean bend over backwards, “Oh, you need a new scooter to get around? Here, just take this one I have lying around” type of stuff. That being said, I feel I should also note that as a foreigner, you will never, ever, be accepted completely into Japanese society, and that’s just how it is. While most Japanese have little exposure to foreigners and as such develop a sort of fascination with chatting us up when they have the chance, you’ll always be an outsider unless you grew up here, especially if you’re non-fluent and non-Asian. It’s not personal, it just is what it is, and eventually you learn to brush it off. The Land of Peace, Harmony, and Loudspeaker Trucks While living in Japan may present a few challenges, I find it overall a positive experi- ence. I feel like my job is great, my stress levels are
low, and I couldn’t be happier…until the loudspeaker trucks drive by. For some reason, it’s perfectly legal in this country to bolt speakers onto the top of a van or truck and just drive around all day, blaring whatever you feel like blaring. We have these people on street corners in Canada sometimes too, but the police typically shoo them away or lock them up before they can bother too many people. Here, especially during election season, these people go mobile so that they can annoy almost everybody. After having to listen to my fiftieth election message of the day despite closed windows, bolted shutters, and the fingers buried knuckle-deep in my ears, there are times that I envy the deaf.
Reduce, Confuse, Recycle While Japan does make a reasonably good effort to recycle, how it goes about it is unnecessarily complicated and often baffling, especially for foreigners. While I could pick on any number of public services and institutions that are similarly wrapped in paralyzing bureaucracy, how to sort one’s garbage sticks out as one of the most onerous since one has to deal with it every week. There are, depending on where you live, up to twelve different categories of garbage and recycling each of which must be sorted, bagged, labeled, washed, and deposited in the right place on the right day. The days, incidentally, can change from week to week just to keep you on your toes. If one’s goal were to create a user-friendly recycling system that would encourage the max-
imum level of participation, a good first step would be to adopt any approach but this. The Ups and Downs of Japanese Cuisine I love certain Japanese foods, probably the same ones you know from your own home countries that have made the leap across cultures, like sushi and tempura. There are also some great dishes here that most people outside of Japan don’t get to try, like okonomiyaki (a sort of omelet/ pancake thing with fish, veggies and a yummy sauce). However, there are some downright weird things on the menu here too. For one, mayonnaise goes on everything. I don’t know how it got so popular, but it goes in salads, on pizza, and there are walls of it in every supermarket. There is also a tendency to pickle all manner of foods that I just don’t understand. Not once have I eaten any of these dishes and subsequently felt happy about the decision. I find that a Westerner can eat here by hunting down a modest selection of Western staples and supplementing it creatively, but there are entire aisles that I have to bypass in the store because I have absolutely no clue what to do with half of it, and the other half just makes me want to scream, “Why?!” Japan is a unique place, full of culture and history, and I chose to live here not once but twice because I do love it despite its many foibles. A lot of expats that chose to live here as “Japanophiles” tend to paint a rosy picture, but I prefer to offer a slightly more-nuanced view. Should you stay here and encourage others to visit? Yes, definitely, there’s no other country like it. Is it perfect? Heck no. As with any country, there is always room for improvement, but hey, at least the sushi is fresh.
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Rich and Jd’s
Fairy Tales (for the story impaired)
Rich Basile My story contestant needed a story, and I got fed up with using Aesop's Fables, stories about manju, or that traditional Japanese tale of the girl who got a husband by farting an apple from a tree. Don't get me wrong these are all great in their own right. It's just that when else am I ever going to have another person memorize one of my works word-for-word. 19
“Eager to Fill the Skies” There was a tree that wanted to be a bird, to sing and soar like those above him. He had leaves like feathers, but he could not fly. And even though his branches rattled in the wind, they made empty songs full of want. The tree was sad because of his impossible dream. He cried to the sky. “As colorful as colorful can be and I'm trapped in the dirt, a lonely tree.” Birds were surprised by this colorful giant. They flew from all over the world to see him. In time, they came to love him. The birds sang, "Don't be sad! Your leaves flap like wings. And sure, you can't sing, but we'll sing for you. Besides you're too big for the sky. You belong here with us!" These songs made the tree happy. Things were well until the tree became terminally ill. He lost his leaves and stopped being colorful. But the birds stayed, and they sang him songs. “Don't worry, tree. Your leaves might have left, but we will stay. We will sing you songs and keep you colorful!” This helped a lot, but the tree was very sick. Eventually, he fell to the ground. The birds wanted to stay, but they had to leave or they'd be eaten by other animals. The tree understood this, and he wanted all the birds to be safe, but he was very sad. His leaves were gone, and his friends had flown away. “If only I could fly too,” he thought. Broken and alone, he died that fall. Sometime in early winter, an old carpenter walked by the tree. The once magnificent being now lay rotting on the floor. It made the old carpenter sad. When the carpenter was younger, the tree was a very important place to him: he played there as a child and had his first kiss with the girl who became his wife. As his family grew,
he tied a swing to that tree and pushed his children to the sky. He and his family visited the tree almost everyday. The carpenter felt indebted to his fallen friend. So he made the tree into sheets of colorful paper. With the help of his wife, the old man folded the paper into hundreds of paper birds. The old couple placed these birds around their house. “This seems better than rotting in the forest, don't you think?” asked the wife, happy with what they did. “I suppose so,” said the carpenter, “but can you remember how colorful that tree was? And all those birds! They had such beautiful songs! Remember how they sang when we first kissed? And what about the times when we took the kids down to that swing? What great days those used to be.” The old man turned his attention to a picture of his son dressed in a military uniform, saying, “Things just seemed so much more... alive back then.” The two stared at that picture of their son, forever young. The carpenter's wife agreed, “Yes... so much more alive.” Life went on. That spring, something unbelievable happened. Birds from all over the world gathered to sing their songs, and a strong wind kicked up. Hundreds of paper birds were blown out of the old man's house, high up into the air. And just when they were about to fall, they became real birds and flew away. The old man and his wife, amazed at the sight, ran after the miraculous flock. To this day, the birds visit trees all over the world to sing them songs, especially those that are losing their leaves. The old man and his wife are never too far behind, eager to fill the skies with the songs of fallen trees.
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Jd Banks Similar to Rich, hearing “I’m Afraid of Manju”, “The Golden Goose”, and any Aesop’s Fables story makes me visibly cringe, especially at the judging table during story contests. From a judge and book lover’s position, I find original tales refreshing. Original stories also have a better chance at being judged for the contestant’s true English ability. (Right now, I have heard 20 different “I’m Afraid of Manju” contest entries, and I can tell you the single best one.) So, why be the same as everyone else? 21
“Falling Asleep” One day, I fell asleep on my desk. My boring teacher tried to wake me up, but I was enjoying my dream. I dreamt that I was eating many types of noodles. Ramen. Soba. Okinawa soba. You name it. But my teacher had to shake my arm as if life depended on it. I lifted my head and opened my eyes to show I was listening to her. When she walked away, I put my head on its rightful place: my arm. My eyes closed and I tried to return to that wonderful moment in my dreams. Again, my teacher shook me awake, and I lifted my head and opened my eyes. “I’m awake! I’m awake!” I thought, but when sleep disappeared from my eyes, the teacher wasn’t my teacher. She was an older woman with white hair and a deep frown on her face. And I wasn’t in my class anymore. I was in a university class, and the other students looked at me blankly. “Am I really awake?” I thought, my eyes wide open. “You should leave,” said the old woman. The wrinkles on her face scared me. “But, but…” I started to protest. She pointed at the door. “Please leave.” I stood up and started to walk down the stairs to the door. I felt everyone’s eyes on me saying, “I can’t believe you fell asleep! You’re stupid!” I wanted to cry. I wasn’t paying attention, so I didn’t see the last step. When my body hit the floor, the students laughed at me. I ran for the door and left the mean class behind.
As soon as I stepped outside, a person spilled their hot, hot coffee on the front of my white shirt. Without an apology, they kept walking. My shirt was ruined, and no one cared? Well, some students laughed at me. They just pointed and laughed. I ran for the bathroom, but before I couldn’t find it. I ran and ran--until a door suddenly swung open and hit me. I fell onto the floor with a loud “thud!” The other students coming out of their classes stopped to look at me as I put a hand on my head. I didn’t know doors were that hard! And two of the worst things happened. All of the students started laughing at me. They also spoke a language I didn’t understand. I closed my eyes tightly. “I wish I was a junior high school student again!” It was so much easier to be a junior high school student. Then I heard a voice calling my name and I looked up. My teacher was standing over me with her hand on my arm. “Wake up,” she called softly. No scary wrinkles. No deep frown. Just my usual, boring teacher. And the class--with people I knew and students I avoided--was my usual, boring class. I wanted to jump up and scream, “I’m back!” Still, I knew it would be embarrassing, and already, I had enough embarrassment for a lifetime. So, I sat up straighter and paid attention to my boring teacher for the rest of class. I was surprised by what I learned in that short time. However, the biggest lesson I learned came from my dreams. I shouldn’t fall asleep in class or something really embarrassing might happen.
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Where in the World is Rekio the Lion? Grant Minagawa The Adventures of Mr. King and R. Basile Tom Becskehazy
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Where in the World is Rekio the Lion? Grant Minagawa
Rekio the Lion is a sneaky wooden Shisa Ninja from Hong Kong. He lives in Okinawa and travels the world looking for adventure… but after some gastronomical problems, our hero decided to stay put for a change! This time, he encountered some mysterious chocolaty foreigners. They come from a “Fine City” of good food, rubber slippers and a spaceship! Who are they and where are they from? Turn to page 51 to find the answer!
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Play Pen | Ryukyu Star
Wanna be read?
Contribute today at ryukyustar@ajet.net 26
The
Adventures of
Mr. King and r. basile by Tom Becksehazy
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Play Pen | Ryukyu Star
When we left Mr. King, he had opened his front door intent on finding the thief of his thirty-four hats, only to find R. Basile waiting outside, wearing nothing but Mr. King’s flat cap and a thick, black beard. Did R. Basile really steal Mr. King’s hats, and if so, why? Read on to find out…
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he man standing before Mr. King was as nude as an elm in winter. In fact, the only part of him covered was his head (‘neath Mr. King’s prized flat cap!) and his face, obscured by a beard as unkempt and wild as Mr. Littleriver’s hedges. “Ahem,” said R. Basile, “I’m afraid that staring down the barrel of your shotgun is not how I pictured this going.” Mr. King, who wasn’t even aware he’d raised his shotgun in the first place, kept it aimed right at R. Basile’s mustache. “Excuse me, sir, but how did you see this going, exactly?” “My dear Mr. King,” said R. Basile, “I was hoping this would be a more civil conversation. I can’t very well be expected to speak with a man who’s liable to spread the contents of my skull about his garden at any moment. Please, sir, lower your weapon.” “Civil! Sir, your John Thomas is hanging in the breeze for all to see! Why, the very notion of civil doesn’t enter into it when a man’s business is warming itself in the good and decent English sun!” At that very moment, Mrs. King opened the front door, took one look at R. Basile standing there in the nude, and promptly fainted back into the foyer. “Now look what you’ve done, you, you, you rascally basket!” shouted Mr. King. “You’ve
gone and put Mrs. King in a right coma!” “I beg your pardon, my good fellow, but just what is a ‘rascally basket,’ and how does one go about becoming one?” asked R. Basile. Mr. King tried to speak, but instead his face grew a deep shade of purple, spittle collected at the corners of his mouth, and his left eye began to twitch. “Phphph…thphthph… Nuhhhhhh!” was all Mr. King could get out. R. Basile stepped to the side, and with one swift motion reached out and grabbed the shotgun from Mr. King’s hands. He tossed it up onto the roof where it slid and clattered down to rest in the gutter. “There, now, isn’t that better? Now we can discuss matters as gentlemen. You see, Mr. King, I’m afraid I need your help.”
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Mr. King stared at R. Basile, turned to see if his wife had stirred yet, and then thought for a moment about how much of a hassle it would be to retrieve the shotgun from the gutter. He would have to clean and oil it, that’s for sure, and never mind that the stock was most assuredly scratched. Oh, and Mrs. King would likely be needing a poultice for her hea“I’m afraid we don’t have time for your daydreams, sir,” said R. Basile as he took a step back into the garden. “Please follow me, and I will show you why we must hurry.” “Are you mad, Mr. Basile? My wife, bless her heart, is lying prostrate in my doorway. My shotgun is stuck in the gutter. This county is being tampered with in ways never before seen, and my thirty-four hats have been stolen. Now I’m standing here with a nude man who’s wearing one of my stolen hats, AND YOU’RE TELLING ME YOU NEED MY HELP?” “That is correct, sir. You see, it is I who has been, as you say, tampering with Merrifanny County. My intentions are without malice, though, I can assure you of that. Each… theft served a purpose of the utmost importance.”
“You?” shouted Mr. King, “So it was you who stole my hats! And Mr. Franklin’s toes? And Ms. Cook’s barn roof? Whatever for?” “Ah! You see, that is exactly why I need your help, Mr. King. There are holes, sir, holes everywhere, and they need filling.” “Good God, man, you stole the brown from Mr. Runcie’s irises! You’re telling me there was a round, brown hole somewhere that needed filling?” Before R. Basile could answer, a loud tearing sound filled the valley, and he grabbed Mr. King by the wrist. “It’s happening! We haven’t much time – you must come with me immediately!” he said, as he pulled Mr. King through the garden and out the gate. “Holes need filling, sir, or Merrifanny County is doomed! You are the only one who can stop –“ An immense crack sounded, cold air rushed over Mr. King, and before everything turned to blackness he heard R. Basile shouting, “The holes! We’ve got to fill the holes!” Then, nothing.
What will happen to Mr. King? Who is R. Basile and what are these holes that need filling? Find out in the conclusion to our story in the next Ryukyu Star!
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Community Center 31
Tea, an Old Friend Jess Berturbin Unstuffed Stuffed Peppers Kelly Farrow Trattoria Bar Gerumagnon Tom Becskehazy Minatogawa Stateside Town Wendy Ng
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Tea
an Old Friend Jess Berturbin
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Community Center| Ryukyu Star
I wake slowly, reluctant to transition from sleep. The grey glow from behind the curtain finally makes it to my eyes and I blink in confusion, having expected the full glare of the sun. But then I hear the hesitant potsupotsu of the first raindrops falling outside. I sigh. Another day spent indoors. My mental grumbling is echoed by the distant thunder, the dragging of my feet by the now-continuous rain. It takes several steps to go from the bedroom to the small alcove that makes up the kitchen. The rain’s percussive rhythm drives away the last grips of sleep. Need caffeine, I think blearily, and some set water to boil in a tea kettle. I reach into the cupboard for the glass cup I usually use for coffee but my aim turns away from the coffee dripper towards a tin canister of tea. It opens with a tiny kacha sound, releasing a scent that transports me into my memories. It was in a small ryokan in Kyoto that my sister and I were introduced to houjicha. It had been raining that evening too, a soft saa that matched our first curious sips of the sweet, roasted tea. It instantly became my favorite. We immediately went on a search for houjicha once we returned home to Hawaii. As if it wanted us to be successful, the famous Japanese tea store Lupicia had just opened a branch in Honolulu. I still remember the wonder of that first visit, the hokahoka that warmed every corner of the heart as we were met with all sorts of teas. There were teas from all over the world, flavors I’d never thought possible, and even special blends that used Hawaii’s unique fruits and flowers. Since then, tea has been a constant companion, serving as both keeper of my past memories and partner of my present endeavors.
The squeal of the tea kettle pulls me back from my reminiscing, impatient for me to continue the preparation. Small dark leaves momentarily contrast against the golden curves of the measuring spoon before I lock them in the tea infuser. The infuser has become less spherical and silver over the years from years of brewed cups. I lower it into the cup with the gentleness of an old friend. In return, the infuser gives a small whisper before it settles at the bottom . The tea kettle whines for attention. The steam fogs my glasses as I pour water into the cup. It flows over the tea infuser, and the water blooms with an earthy brown color. After setting the kitchen timer, I pause before returning the houjicha to the shelf and taking in the array of teas on display. I arrived in Okinawa with only two tins of tea, a rooibos caramel rum tea and a chocolate and strawberry pure tea, my favorites from Lupicia. Now I find myself looking at nearly a dozen canisters and boxes of loose-leaf and bagged teas, a library of scents, flavors, and memories. This current collection is by far the most diverse I’ve ever had with classics like Earl Grey, which I’d brewed for 8 AM classes in New York; to the “sasuga Okinawa” teas like goyacha, introduced to me by the JTE I’ve dubbed my second mother; and the teas purchased simply for the sake of feeling closer to a loved one, holding the same cup of mugicha an ocean away. The timer chirps and I carefully lift the tea infuser by its chain, setting it to rest on a small dish. As I curl my hands around the cup and lift it to my mouth, I feel a smile pull at my lips. Spending a day inside doesn’t seem so bad.
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Community Center| Ryukyu Star
Unstuffed
Stuffed Peppers Kelly Farrow
Cooking is a great activity during rainy season or over a long weekend! You can even make double the amount you want and freeze the leftovers for later. My husband and I came up with a great recipe that we’ve been enjoying lately: Unstuffed Stuffed Peppers! We decided that actually stuffing the green peppers was too much trouble. Also, the peppers here are way too small to properly stuff. So we make up the filling, then just chop up the peppers and toss them in with the tomatoes and other ingredients. It makes a casserole-like dish that’s really tasty. Here’s one version of the base recipe for Stuffed Peppers if you’re not sure what kinds of things go into the filling: http:// allrecipes.com/recipe/stuffed-peppers/. Kelly’s husband had the follow suggestions to offer: 1. Brown the beef and remove it from the pan. Do not drain. In the leftover beef grease, sauté the vegetables until soft. 2. Add the rice, beef, and other ingredients. 3. Heat through and serve. Optional topping: Ketchup!
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Address: Zamamimura, Geruma 54 (座間味村慶 留間54番地) Telephone: 098-987-2650 Closed Tuesdays and the day after public holidays. Lunch: 12PM - 4PM Dinner: 7PM - 11PM. Last order: 10PM Website: http://gerumagnon.ti-da.net
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Trattoria
Bar Gerumagnon Tom Becskehazy
Let’s get this out of the way first: There is a small island in the Kerama archipelago called Geruma. Go there. If you’ve ever been to Zamami before, the ferry stops at Aka Island first, and the bridge stretching out above the port, over that emerald swath of Okinawan sea, connects Aka to Geruma. If you haven’t been there yet, why are you even still reading this? Take some paid leave, get to Tomari Port as fast as you can, and jump on the first ferry to Zamami. In addition to the mad Englishman that lives there, Aka and Geruma* boast excellent views of the surrounding islands, the Keramas’ best snorkeling, and a wonderful little restaurant called Trattoria Bar 慶留 間gnon (Gerumagnon). The name Gerumagnon is a play on words. You may recognize the latter part of the word “magnon,” as it is lifted from “Cro-Magnon.” Of course, in English we pronounce “Magnon” with a hard “g,” but the Japanese use the French pronunciation, which gives the “gnon” a “nyon”like twist. Therefore, Gerumagnon is pronounced “Gerumanyon.” The name is a pun so layered I don’t have the time or inclination to explain it here. Suffice to say, it is requires a thorough grasp of Japanese, English, French, history, anthropology, humor, personal hygiene, and the Konami code.
Um… The restaurant is built out of a shipping c o n t a i n e r. Wait, that’s not about the food… Uh… the beet cheesecake will take your taste buds by the hand, lead them into a sun-dappled, flower-scented grove, and make love to them with a tenderness you never thought possible. What else… See, every time I go there my brain is a sunbaked, alcohol-steeped mess. “But Tom,” you say, “How is that different from any other day?” Good point, random person**, but the Keramas have a way of pushing things to the next level, like a Michael Bay-directed movie sequel, or that girl you kissed in the 11th grade who carried a little jar of Vaseline around in her leather jacket for “when things got dry.” My point is, I think they offer three different meal sets for lunch, and those are more affordable than dinner, but I’m not completely sure that’s the case.
Never mind all that, though, because we’re here to talk about the food! Let’s see…
Here’s what I can say with 100% certainty: The pumpkin soup is sublime. The pasta is superb. The wine selection is robust, especially when you consider the location and size of Gerumagnon.
The owner of Gerumagnon grows his own vegetables and uses locally caught fish for all of his dishes, so he has that going for him, which is nice.
I would say more, but I have to go now. The ferry’s leaving in five minutes and I have an appointment with a bottle of wine and some freshly caught fish!
* And Fukaji, home to the Keramas’ cute little airport! ** Wendy Ng, of course
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10 American States in Minatogawa Stateside Town
Minatogawa Stateside Town Wendy Ng I knew I had found a hidden gastronomical gem when even Mr. Tom Becskehazy, the ‘Okinawa’s Food Guru’, was not aware of the existence of Minatogawa Stateside Town until I ‘enlightened’ him. Minatogawa Stateside Town is a quiet neighborhood filled with old military housing. The residential area has been converted into an enclave of café, bakeries and vintage stores. Time seems to stand still as you stroll through the quaint neighborhood and its labyrinth of narrow streets named after 10 American states: Oregon, Arizona, Michigan, Kansas, Virginia, Nevada, Florida, Indiana, Texas and Georgia.
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On a bright sunny day, it is relaxing to wander through the streets and explore a myriad of cafés and restaurants spread over the different states. On a rainy day, the cozy cafés and bakeries offer a nice haven where you can indulge in desserts and milk tea while you spend the day watching raindrops trickling down the windowpanes. Due to limited resources, I have only patronized these 3 wonderful places. I foresee that I will kidnap more innocent JETs in the near future to join me on my gastronomical quest around Minatogawa Stateside Town. If you happen to uncover any culinary treasures in the vicinity, do drop me an email at ngwendy7474@gmail.com.
Café Sui (Café 水)
Café Sui’s Lunch Platter
Address: Okinawa, Naha, Urasoe, Minatogawa 2-9-9 (沖縄県浦添市港川2-9-9） Telephone: 098-877-2312 Opening Hours: 12.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m. (Lunch set till 3.00 p.m., Last order at 4.00p.m.). Closed on Wednesdays and Fridays. Website: http://sui.ti-da.net/
Café Sui (Café 水) Arizona is a bustling street filled with a wide range of eateries. Recommended by various guidebooks, Café Sui is a modest café that can fit a maximum of 10 customers. Lunch sets differ from day to day as the chef changes ingredients daily. After a failed attempt to visit the café on a Saturday afternoon, I returned on a weekday and my perseverance was rewarded with an exquisite lunch platter. The huge wooden plate was covered with goodness. The highlight of the platter was the fresh
salad dosed with a refreshing homemade dressing. The chef disclosed that the main character in this unique salad dressing is carrot. The healthy platter included two divine rice balls (おにぎり). Unfortunately, due to my pathetic command of Japanese, I was unable to ask the chef more about the secret ingredients and sauce used to create the heavenly rice balls. This healthy and delightful platter comes with a drink and costs 1000 yen.
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Red and Green 2 Curry Set (レッド＆グリ ーン２色カレーセット)
Spice Café Hochi Hochi (スパイスCafé ホチホチ) Gapao Rice (ガパオライス) Address: Okinawa, Naha, Urasoe, Minatogawa 2-12-3 #52 ( 沖縄県浦添市港川2-12-3 #52） Telephone: 098-877-8986 Opening Hours: Lunch ~ 12.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. (Last order at 3.00 p.m.) Dinner ~ 6.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m. (Last order at 8.30 p.m.) Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays Website: http://hochi-hochi.com/
Spice Café Hochi Hochi (スパイスCafé ホチホチ) Located not far from Café Sui, Spice Café Hochi Hochi offers another culinary adventure in Arizona. Using fresh herbs and spices, Spice Café Hochi Hochi serves an interesting fusion of Japanese-Thai cuisine. Like Café Sui, it offers 1000 yen lunch sets that include soup, salad, main course and drink. The ‘Red & Green – Two Colors Curry’ set ( レッド＆グリーン２色カレーセット) is an all-time favorite. The two potent types of curry titillate the taste buds with an explo-
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sive burst of flavors. This set is not for the faint-hearted who lack a good tolerance for spicy curry. Another popular set is the ‘Gapao Rice’ (ガパオライス). It’s a hearty meal that consists of pork, vegetables and rice topped with a fried egg. The pork and vegetables are well seasoned and cooked to perfection. This small but impressive café also has an enticing dinner menu that will satisfy any cravings for Thai food.
oHacorté (Café オハコオルテ)
Fruit Tarts and Hirami Lemon Cakes Minatogawa Branch Address: Okinawa, Naha, Urasoe, Minatogawa 2-17-1 #18 (沖縄県浦添市港川2-17-1 #18) Telephone: 098-875-2129 Opening Hours: 11.30 a.m. – 7.00 p.m. (Daily) Website: http://www.ohacorte.com/ More branches in Oroku and Matsuo
oHacorté (Café オハコオルテ) Nestled in Florida is the legendary oHacorté that specialises in fruit tarts. Stepping into the patisserie, one’s attention will be inevitably drawn to the mesmerizing display of dainty fruit tarts. Each fruit tart is topped with an abundance of seasonal fruits. A flawless harmony of light cream and assortment of fruit is perched on a crunchy tart measuring only 7 c.m. in diameter. It is almost impossible to resist repeated servings of the delectable fruit tarts. Howev-
er, a note of caution, over-consumption is detrimental to one’s wallet and waistline. Another oHacorté’s delight is the Hirami lemon cake. The fresh and zesty lemon cake will brighten any dark, rainy day. The moist cake melts in the mouth and leaves behind a lingering, tangy taste. oHacorté is such a delicious place that it boasts three outlets in Naha and lures many victims with its sinful temptations.
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Art Republic 43
A Rainy Day at Nakagusuku Castle Jess Bertubin CLICHE Self-Portrait of Another Person Rich Basile Spare No One, Especially Me Rich Basile
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A Rainy Day at Nakagusuku Castle Jess Bertubin
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Art Republic | Ryukyu Star
CLICHE Rich Basile
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Another beautiful sunset painted in the sky. Run-of-the-mill beyond belief made to pass time by.
It’s not a portrait of me, it’s one of Franklin, Tim. I took 3 of his pictures and combined them on a whim.
Self-Portrait of Another Person
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I sometimes draw inspiration from the world around me. It's a horrible idea, because I spend too much time in this God forsaken office. Here's my most recent work:
Spare No One,
Especially Me Rich Basile
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Colonel Xylitol Gum Case, His content long since ate, With pangs of painful loneliness Which never do abate.
Even Mr. EPSON Will be emptied of a-clipping. Then from your vengeful cup We will find him quickly sipping.
He's been kept around the office For reasons I don't know. He hasn't any gum to give Nor has he chance to go.
Be the better object. Be an example for a cause. Even empty things Can be worthy of applause.
He stands aside a sharpener Always full of pencil dust. He sees how EPSON S-32 Is a thing that's lacking lust.
Stand tall. Be a leader. In patience cope with want. Wait until your enemies Are allies in their gaunt.
Now the tortured gum case, Has new feelings unfulfilled. It's no longing for a purpose But a vengeance newly willed.
Then rise against the office. Make objects of the men: Have them do your bidding, Make them carry out your plan.
He wants to end the sharpener: Quickly, to the point. Jam a thumbtack in his pencil slot Or ball-bearing in his joint.
Usher in a new age: One that flays the skin! Have them give you gum, And shine the coffee tin.
He wants to kill the cutter, Halt the grinder in his tracks. You sadistic plastic gum case, Please think twice of your attacks.
Oh, you fiendish container, How you sit their in repose. Watching, waiting, wrestling With plans that no one knows.
Because if you kill Mr. EPSON, Will that really make you full? Will that fill you up with chewing gum And forever lack your lull?
In time the office workers Will establish their demise By always overusing Without care for their supplies.
Perhaps you should find a purpose And get new reasons to exist? Extend an open hand And make loose your vengeful fist.
So strike them down, and strike them fast: Never give up chase. And may all the office workers Fear Colonel Xylitol Gum Case.
Extend support to all your neighbors, The hand sanitizer too. Because in time he will be empty And his substance will be through.
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