Japan: Friends are Helpful

So we finally met our LEPs ["Language Exchange Partners"] on the 16th. Apparently I was lucky, because Hiroki-kun and Kanami-san could both speak very good English. Signs seemed to have a harder time with her partner though--as she recounted that their "conversation" was more pantomiming than actual talking. We toured the campus, visiting the library and PC rooms among other things. I also located my adviser's office and met him a few days later.

With all the new faces everywhere, I was very surprised to run into a few familiar faces from last year, when I came to Toyo for the two-week travel study. Yongmi-chan was amazing to reconnect with, and that day we invited her over for green tea [or ocha] and senbei, that is, Japanese rice-crackers. Of course, we were called old fashioned for offering such a thing--since it is very traditional and old custom to offer such things to house guests.

Granted, we do have very old fashioned breakfasts...

But connecting with some of the Japanese students at our school was good times all around, and we all more or less talked about food and music and hobbies. It was a very easygoing first meeting. Maybe my LEPs can help me obtain a cellphone.

Other than that, nothing of great importance has happened. Still waiting on my loan disbursement and all that jazz, but you readers all know that studying here has been my dream for a long time. And it's coming true around me every day! I am excited for classes to begin so that I can get into a routine. Until then, I like spending my evenings chilling on one of our porches with Signs.

It's a really great view. Take a look:

Japan: I have a "Youji"

Obviously, if things kept me from updating my blog, they must have been extremely important. Thus, I had what the Japanese would call a "youji". Business that was so important and personal that they dare not ask what the pressing business actually is.

When I finally did finish the long, laborious process of unpacking I was somewhat mortified to find a pair of friends who decided to tag along without my knowing. Goody. But I did pick up two more friends on a group trip to Akihabara, where Signs and I stopped in my favorite [and really cheap] figure shop. Hopefully, I can get back and get a few more pictures of the place. It's a really great, hidey hole little place.

Eventually, the whole i-house group had to attend a Natsumatsuri, or a "summer festival"--and all that I can recount is that the food was amazing, I was very hot, sweaty, and almost ready to pass out, and it was super awesome to participate in something so inherently Japanese. Overall it was a very good, fun experience. More about that here.

Signs and I went on a trip to Harajuku, where I found some AMAZING deals on some goth loli clothing. A dress and a blouse to be precise, and it was probably the best deal I'll EVER get for something like that too. I am extremely happy~!!! We then continued on to a little cafe just outside of Meiji Shrine, where I had some melon soda and Signs had ice cream. Afterward we continued to the shrine itself and payed our respects. The only thing that made the trip that day terrible was possibly the fact that I wore the most uncomfortable pair of shoes I own. My feet felt like they were going to fall off that day. Ouch. The price women pay for fashion is ridiculous--but seriously ladies, if you are going to buy heels, buy the expensive COMFORTABLE heels. It may seem like a lot at first, but after walking around for a few hours, you learn to appreciate the extra money you spent.

Tuesday had us submitting paperwork for Bank business, where a group of about twelve or thirteen of us waited with several people from the IPO [that is, the"International Programs Office" at Toyo University]. We submitted paperwork, and will be obtaining bank cards by September 25th as projected by the IPO. Japan and paperwork seem to have this incomprehensible love affair.

Wednesday, after a several-hour orientation, I marched to the IPO to explain my unfortunate condition. There was a period of many awkward hand gestures on my part, trying to explain that A: I needed a doctor at some point, but not EMERGENCY treatment, and B: I was NOT contagious, so my breathing on you is not going to make you ill, when suddenly it occurred to me. GOOGLE! Japan has the internet--they must have Google capabilities as well! So, I asked, "Do you have Google?" To which one of the IPO members put their hands to their eyes, slightly confused, and repeated "Goggle?"

And I said, "No, no, the internet? Google?" A flurry of lightbulbs appeared, and we rushed to the computer where we found our information. Thank whatever power above for Google and Wikipedia. Even if they take over the world.

Japan: The Plane Trip

Needless to say, I don't need to go into how miserable a 14 hour plane ride is, nor do I need to go into the explicit details of the joys of sitting next to very questionable strangers. BUT, as this blog is really for the benefit of those who wish to keep track of me, I will, in fact, go into unnecessary and sometimes excruciating detail to keep everyone happy.

As it is a few days now since I have suffered the plane ride over, some of the details may have become a little hazy. The things that come to mind first are memories of the back pain, the nausea, the really creeeeepy guy that my roomie and I called "Frank" [a tribute to the book In the Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami].

No seriously. This guy was a perfect contender for that character. In being as Minnesotan as I possibly could be, I decided to make friendly conversation briefly during boarding--this turned out to be a rather large mistake on my part.

I asked him where he was off to, wondering naively if he were a tourist to Japan or a scholar--to which he replied that he was headed to Bangkok, for, and I kid you not as he said it his face became this animated mass of flesh that nearly made me vomit "PLEAAAAASUUURRRRREEEE". The way he salivated over the word, beady eyes gleaming behind a very toothy smile made me want to run in the other direction.

I felt my face freeze, smile plastered there, and I did that slow Hollywood turn they do in horror movies. My grin had become more of a grimace that showed teeth by the time I faced my roomie, Katt, who was sitting on my other side, and I'm pretty sure my eye twitched a few times.

The food, needless to say, was horrible, but the lesson we all really need to take from this is:



Next time, don't ask. Stifle your curiosity for the children.