Indoc, Shop and Squat

This week was a crash course in Sasebo base life and Japanese culture.  For those who are not familiar with AOB-Indoc (a.k.a. Indoctrination), newcomers to most bases are required to attend a 3-4 day seminar on what the base has to offer, plus a session or two on the customs of the country.  Our Indoc began on Tuesday and officially ended Friday afternoon.  The first day and a half we learned about the different organizations present on Main Base and Hario. 

The last half of Day Two was a 2 1/2 hr class on Japanese customs and phrases.  Our instructor, Eriko, was very energetic and quirky.  She taught us how to use chopsticks, order food in Japanese, and explained the reasons for some of the customs most Americans aren't used to.  I was reminded that the Japanese are very germ conscious and it is normal for them to wear "surgical masks" when they are sick and moving about in public.  She also explained that tipping is considered an insult to the Japanese because monetary gifts are usually given in an envelope (or "en-vah-wop" as she pronounced it :) during formal occasions like weddings, etc, not arbitrarily left on a table after a meal.

The following day Eriko took us on a "field trip" around Sasebo City via bus.  We visited a shrine where she explained the procedure for making a wish to the spirits at the altar.  I've always been fascinated by the rituals surrounding worship at shrines and temples.  By the way, shrines and temples are two different things, both in physical appearance and function.  Shrines are for those who want to wish for things to happen to them in their lifetime.  A temple is for honoring and praying for the dead.  A small wish at a shrine may be granted if you drop a coin in the box.  A bigger wish or dream may come true if you write down your wish and hang it on a rod next to the altar.  Most coins that are dropped in the box are 5 yen coins, one of the smallest coin denominations.  Eriko explained that the Japanese are "very superstitious, and also very cheap."

After visiting the shrine we went to the ticket center at Kujukushima just to see where it is located for future visits, and then to the Free Zone at Huis Ten Bosch (a Dutch amusement park right next to Hario Village).  There were no crowds since we were visiting on a weekday.  We had about 30 minutes to wander around. In that time we discovered that there were many promising places to eat, including a Red Lobster, and a huge plastic hamster ball attraction that my son got to experience for 500 yen.

Our next stop was a supermarket/mall called Aeon that was four or five stories tall.  We had lunch on the food court level and spent the remaining time in the game room that was PACKED with video games.  Our tour ended with our guide pointing out every landmark and store of interest on the ride back to the base.

Friday was the day most of us newbies had been waiting for...the driving course and test.  The instructor for this last part of Indoc was another Japanese lady, whose name I didn't catch, who was very nice and very good at her job.  She spent an hour summarizing the road rules of Japan and emphasizing facts that would be on the written test.  The written test was given five to ten minutes after the class and I am happy to report I got a 100%!  My husband also passed, but I believe he scored better on the driving exam than I did.  The hardest part (for me) was backing into a 90-degree parking space and trying to remember that the turn signal is on the right side of the steering wheel AND you must push it DOWN for right and UP for left.  My husband and I are now proud owners of a driver's license.

Today (Saturday) we went car shopping.  After two weeks of taxi rides, walking, train riding and car shopping, we were able to make a deal on a red Mazda MPV from Tamie's Auto.  I highly recommend this place.  Extremely nice couple, and the owner (Tamie, a guy) was willing to budge a bit on the price which is not common in Japan!  He also handed us the car title without any upfront payment so that we could get it registered on base.  He told us we could pay when the car was ready for pickup in about 3-4 days.  We're constantly blown away by how trusting the Japanese are.

If I were to sum up my favorite accomplishment of this busy week, it wouldn't be my perfect driving test score, completing Indoc or finding a car.  It would be....wait for it......successfully using a traditional Japanese toilet in the train station! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, only women who have experienced this will know what I'm talking about, hence the word 'squat' in the title of this blog post.  I'll just leave it at that.

Until next time...