First Group Lesson With Sho... and Harp Music?

So Friday morning I ended up getting up a little later than I had originally planned. I hurried to get showered and ready for my first group lesson with the shos and then hurried upstairs to talk to some people really quickly. The location for this particular lesson was about an hour and a half away and it was my first time going there so I didn't want to be late. I left for Kunitachi, where I was having my lesson, right from the computer room and got there relatively quickly.

Once I got to the campus, however, I discovered my instructions had no specific room listed for where I should go and the campus was pretty large. I tried to call Michael because I knew he said he was planning on going early because the sho teacher had offered to give them an extra lesson. He didn't answer his phone. Next I was going to try Todd because I knew he would have a phone on him, but then I remember he hadn't had it yet the last time I saw him and so I didn't have his number. Since he was going to stay here a while and he wanted a plan that gave him a lot of texting he didn't get a phone right away. Needless to say I was getting annoyed and frustrated. At this point I tried calling Casey, because I thought she might at least know where the room might be even if she wasn't there. She didn't answer either.

I was really getting pissed at this point. It was almost 1pm and I had been trying for about 10 minutes to get a hold of people. I called Terumi-san and explained that I couldn't find anyone and that no one was answering their phones. She said that she would try to get in touch with Nakamura-sensei, the sho teacher, and that she would call me back. I wandered around for a bit and Casey finally called me back. I asked her if she knew where the lesson was and she gave me a vague description that was only slightly helpful.

I wandered around some more and Terumi-san called me back. She said that she had called the administration office and asked them if there was a class and where it was. They told her where it was and she tried to help me find it over the phone. I finally found the building and thanked her. However, as soon as I hung up I had trouble finding the room. I wandered around until I finally found a room off to the side. I peeked in and discovered Todd and Michael sitting on the floor with their instruments. I was very annoyed at this point because I had been wandering around for about almost 45 minutes so the first words out of my mouth were "does no one answer a phone anymore?"

Apparently Michael had left his phone here at the center and of course I didn't have Todd's number. Michael said he had no idea I was even coming and Todd agreed. I was a little annoyed about this two because they obviously don't read the schedule. All the days with pink writing are combined group days. After I showed them that Todd was much more kind about the whole situation. Michael, however, was still being an ass. I don't know if it's because he's German or if it's just because he's older but he really has a whole holier than though attitude. He wanted to just keep going with their practice so I really didn't do anything for the first 30 minutes after I found them. That was fine with me, however, because I was hot, sweaty, and angry so I didn't feel like playing right away.

After a little a girl showed up who was a sho player. She played with us a bit and tried to help me with one of the pieces that I was having trouble with. After a little while longer another girl showed up who was going to play the koto and she helped me with counting, which is very difficult with four sho playing against one ryuteki. Finally, toward the end two other girls showed up. One played the shoko and the other one alternated between a couple of instruments. At about 4:30pm Todd took off because he was meeting some friends for a party or something. Then at 5pm our first Sempai that showed up said she had to go to because she needed to go home. At that point well all cleaned up to disband because the last two girls that arrived wanted to go to a harp concert/lecture that was being given (though at the time I thought it was only a concert).

I asked if I could come too because it sounded like fun. Casey ended up going with me but Michael didn't come, though I can't say I was sad about that. We got to the hall where the performance was and ended up sitting in the front row. I was surprised because I wasn't expecting an Irish harp or Irish music. It was a nice treat and even though Casey couldn't understand the Japanese speaking parts I think she liked it. The harpist was from Mayo in Ireland and the two people playing with her are actually Japanese but play Irish music. The man played the flute, multiple ones actually, and the other woman played the concertina and a smaller harp.

After the lecture/concert I got to speak to the harpist, she was very nice. I also got to speak to the flute player and he said that they still had tickets for a concert the next day. I was very excited and arranged to have a ticket waiting for me at the 6:30pm concert the next day. I also got directions on how to get to the concert hall from the dance class I was going to be at on Saturday. After arranging all that Casey and I left with our new friends to go get some dinner nearby. We ended up having dinner at MOS Burger, Japanese style fast food. It was very good and I must try it again at least once more before I leave.

After MOS Burger we said goodbye to, I believe her name was Rie-san, and then Casey, Asami-san (?), and I went to get on the train because she actually lives near where Casey and I are staying. On the way home we actually ended up having a nice conversation. Casey would speak in English, because she doesn't know any Japanese, Asami-san (?) would listen to practice her English, and I somewhere in the middle would try to translate, especially if she didn't understand what Casey. We left her on the train at Kita-Urawa where we got off and went back to the center. I got online for a little while to talk to some people but since I was tired I didn't stay on too long and went to bed. And thus ended my Friday.