My Japanese home stay family and my food

My first home stay experience in Japan was two years ago with a warm family. Although they hosted several foreigners in the past, they have never been in contact with a Muslim person. As many Japanese, their only experience with Islam was through TV or newspapers. Media is not always trustful source of information. Although, it is easy and practical way for widening our knowledge, it can be responsible of negative stereotypes and prejudices.

First, when I applied, I had to specify in the form my religion. Furthermore, in the same form they asked whether I have restrictions in food. At the beginning, I was not going to mention my preferences in food. I said to myself that I will try to avoid eating food that are suspicious to me and have sweets and cracks in my bag in case I find nothing to eat. Eating sweets and cracks for two days will not kill me, I can bear that. Furthermore, I am going for the cultural and social purposes. Food is not my priority along this home stay experience. But, I changed my mind; I want to enjoy Japanese homemade food!! Therefore, I mentioned that I would greatly appreciate if alcoholic drinks and meat are withdrawn from my meals.

Few days later, I received feedback from the host family. They accepted my application. Moreover, they included a questionnaire: “Do you drink milk?”, “Do you eat cheese?”, “Do you eat raw fish?”, “If we cook a soup with meat than we remove meat, can you eat the soup?”…

Oh!! So many details!! They could compete Ghada and Hafidha in their accurate selections of Halal Japanese products, just joking :) ! I really didn’t want to cause so much disturb! I am kind of person who does not feel comfortable in giving requests to unknown people. Having no choice, I replied to their questionnaire and politely thanked them for their care. To be continued…

Interactive website to learn Japanese using illustrations

I found a good website to learn Japanese http://www.languageguide.org/nihongo/
What I like in this website is that when you move the mouse over a picture, you can hear how to pronounce the word and in the same time you can see how to write the word in japanese and its reading in english. This website is ideal also for children to learn Japanese.

For the hiragana : http://www.languageguide.org/im/alpha/jp/hiragana.jsp
For the katakana : http://www.languageguide.org/im/alpha/jp/katakana.jsp
For the body : http://www.languageguide.org/im/body/jp/, http://www.languageguide.org/im/body2/jp/
For farm animals: http://www.languageguide.org/im/farm_anim/jp/
For birds : http://www.languageguide.org/im/birds/jp/
For fruits: http://www.languageguide.org/im/fruits/jp/
For vegetables: http://www.languageguide.org/im/veg/jp/


There are other languages also, check here: http://www.languageguide.org/

Really a wonderful website!!

Miso soup

Few weeks ago, my husband saw his friend buying Miso paste (a fermented soybean paste originating in Japan). Since we are here in Japan, we have never tried miso soup, so he asked me if I want to try. My answer was NO, NO, NO!!!
But after searching about the health benefits of Miso paste, I changed my mind. This is what I have found:

• Because Miso is fermented with a B12-synthesizing bacteria, miso has been commonly recommended as a B12 source for vegans.
• Miso is quite high in sodium (1 ounce contains 52% of the recommended daily value for sodium), but a little miso goes a long way towards providing your daily needs for the trace minerals zinc, manganese, and copper.
• A single tablespoon of miso contains 2 grams of protein for just 25 calories. An impressive nutrient profile for a flavoring agent!
• Miso's Minerals Support Immune Function, Energy Production, Bones and Blood Vessels
• Protection Against Breast Cancer

After knowing all these benefits, no way I can say no to Miso.

The Miso I am using is called 純正こうじみそ (jyunsei-kouji-miso). This one is Halal, it contains only soybean, rice, and salt. As you see, no preservatives or additives which means more healthy (BTW, I am trying to avoid eating products that contain long term harmful additives).

Miso soup is very easy to make, just take a cup of warm water and add 1 table spoon of miso paste, then you can add the mixture to a vegetable soup, to noodles, or just drink it as it is.
For more information about Miso, see the following website: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=114#healthbenefits

A Few Quick Serving Ideas: (from the previous website)

• Miso soup is quick and easy to prepare. Heat miso paste and water over low-medium heat. Eat as is or add in some traditional fixings including shiitake mushrooms, tofu, scallions, burdock, carrots, and daikon radish.

• Miso-tahini sandwiches are one of our favorites. To make your own, just spread miso on a piece of bread and then top with tahini. Enjoy as is or add sliced avocado.

• Use miso as an ingredient in marinades for meat, fish, poultry or game.

• Carry dried miso soup packets with you and enjoy them as a pick-me-up coffee substitute.

• Combine a little miso with olive oil, flax seed oil, ginger and garlic to make an Asian-inspired dressing that can be used on salads or cold grain dishes.

Japanese Toilet Training for Kids

Do you want to know how the Japaneses train their children for the potty, see this video, it is a Japanese cartoon to teach children how to use the toilet. Nothing can surprise me here in Japan!!

Online Japanese language tools

This a list of my favorite (and may be the best I know) online Japanese language tools:

• Translator, to translate from Japanese to English and from English to Japanese: http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english/
• To read a Japanese text (Yomikata):
  
• http://www.popjisyo.com/WebHint/Portal_e.aspx
• http://yomoyomo.jp/
• Dictionary (eng-jap, jap-eng, kanji+kana+romaji): http://kanjidict.stc.cx/dict

Have a nice Japanese reading!!!

How to send items through post office

Many times, I want to send some items through the post office but each time i found it difficult because I do not know all the possible options available and I could not ask because I cannot speak Japanese.
So I decided to search on internet about shipping in Japan. This is a summary of what I found.
For a summary about shipping rates through post office, see the following page: http://www.post.japanpost.jp/fee/simulator/kokunai/parcel.html#02

1-Yuu-pack ( ゆうパック)

• Use for: heavier items over 500g
• Cost: http://www.post.japanpost.jp/fee/simulator/kokunai/parcel.html#01
  
• More information: http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/parcel/you_pack/index.html (Japanese)

For heavier items, postal Yuu-Pack is probably the best option. You need to fill in a blue form with the receiver's and the sender's details, including phone numbers. You can specify a certain time of day for delivery. The fee will depend on the overall size, not the weight, of the package, so try to squeeze it into a small box! You receive a 100yen discount on the price if you take it to the post office by yourself,rather than having the parcel picked up from your home. A few days later you will receive a postcard to let you know the package has been delivered.

Options for Yuu-pack:

Yuu-pack can be sent 着払　Chakubarai　(in english, COD for cash on delivery) or 　代金引換　daikin hikikae　(in english POD for payment on delivery).

1. Chakubarai: The receiver pays the Yuu-mail rate, plus 20 yen for this service. sender fills out a pink COD form. The receiver's phone number is needed. sender can specify a time of delivery (morning, afternoon, late afternoon, evening).
   
2. Daikin hikikae: Payment on Delivery allows the sender to post the parcel to the receiver at the receiver's expense AND collect an extra amount on top of the postal fees.

For more details about options available for Yuu-Pack:
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/you_pack/add.html

2-Yuu-mail (ゆうメール), called before "sasshi kozutsumi "（旧冊子小包）

• Use for: books, magazines, cds, dvds, videos up to 3kg, H+W+D limit: 1.7 m
• The flat rates for anywhere in Japan are:
  
  up to 150 grams: 180 yen
  up to 250 grams: 210 yen
  up to 500 grams: 290 yen
  up to 1 kg: 340 yen
  up to 2 kg: 450 yen
  up to 3 kg: 590 yen
• For more information about Yuu-mail (in japanese) http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/you_mail/index.html
  http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/you_mail/use.html

Yuu-mail can also be sent chakubarai (in english, COD for cash on delivery), entailing an extra 20 yen collection fee or sent Daikin hikikae (POD for Payment on Delivery) (see Options for Yuu-Pack for more information).
For more details about options available for Yuu-mail : http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/you_mail/add.html


3-EXPACK500（エクスパック）500
Sometimes it is possible to cram something that would be going for the top rate of 590 yen of the Yuu-mail into a 500 yen ExPack envelope, saving 90 yen.

• Use for: anything that will fit inside the envelope
• Fix cost: 500 yen for whatever you can fit inside the envelope (248mm×340mm) and the weight limit is 30 kg.
• More information (japanese) http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/expack/index.html

There is a flat 500 yen charge nationwide, as long as the parcel fits inside the envelope provided. There is no need for complicated postage calculations and affixing stamps, and in addition to collection by postal workers, the "EXPACK 500" can also be mailed in a post box 24 hours a day. Moreover, by entering the barcode, tracking information can be checked via PC, and a seal to confirm receipt can be obtained from the recipient.
You can track EXPACK500 on the internet or cell phones. There is no insurance for these so you should not use them for valuable or irreplaceable items and it is not permitted to use them to send money. These envelopes will not fit in the mouth of some older mailboxes.